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New Delhi: The Schedule Castes (SCs) and Schedules Tribes (STs) form half of the total ‘poor and deprived households’ in the country, says a pilot survey on Below Poverty Line population of India.

The survey conducted over a sample of 166 villages across 22 states stated that the SC/ST communities have high rates of adult illiteracy, destitution, landlessness and homelessness.

The survey had further found that SC/STs constitute only 25 per cent of the ‘non poor households’.

By finding the link between the Dalit status of the sample population and their living conditions, the survey reinforces the common belief that economic deprivation is connected to social identity of the people.

This pilot survey is a basis of a wider full fledged survey on the Below Poverty Line population. It is part of the survey methodology reformed by Planning Commission member Mihir Shah for the Union Rural Development Ministry.

Also, the BPL Survey is important as it identifies the target group of beneficiaries for social welfare schemes.  

Analysis of past surveys by the Planning Commission show that their results may be off by almost 50 per cent. To aid its accuracy this year, methodology of the BPL Survey has been improved