Urban and Regional Planning and Development by Rajiv R. Thakur & Ashok K. Dutt & Sudhir K. Thakur & George M. Pomeroy

Author:Rajiv R. Thakur & Ashok K. Dutt & Sudhir K. Thakur & George M. Pomeroy
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783030317768
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

16.2.2 The Regional Scenario

Northwestern region (including Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh Union Territory) shared 16.83 million or 8.4% in total Dalit population in India against only 6.1% of their share in total population of the country. Obviously, Northwestern region has higher concentration of Dalits in comparison to other regions. For example, Dalits made 22.9% in total population of Northwestern region against only 6.4% in Northeastern India, 11% in Western India, 16% in Southern India, 18% in Eastern India, and 19% in Central India, the national average being 16.6%.

Within Northwestern India (henceforth NW India), Punjab alone shared more than one-half (52.7%) or 8.86 million of the total 16.83 million Dalits in the region. Another 5.11 million or 30.4% were in Haryana. Both states, in combine, had 83.0% of total Dalit population, against their share of 72.2% in total regional population at 2011 Census. Earlier in 1961, the share of Punjab in total Dalit population of the region was as high as 55%, and Haryana shared only about 26%. Hence, their combined share in 1961 made about 81.0% against 83% in 2011; indicating faster growth of DALIT population in Haryana than Punjab during 1961–2011. Interestingly, unlike Haryana the share of Himachal Pradesh in regional total of Dalit population declined during the same period: from 12.7% in 1961 to 10.3% in 2011.

Against this, there has been a remarkable increase in share of Chandigarh (UT) in total regional Dalit population. It rose to 1.2% in 2011 from 0.3% in 1961. The same is well reflected in phenomenal growth of Dalits in Chandigarh (UT) during 1961–2011: 6.44% against the regional average of 2.63%. The share of Jammu & Kashmir in regional total of Dalits declined marginally to 5.50% from 5.60% during this period. Nevertheless, annual growth rate of Dalit population in Jammu & Kashmir (2.66%) was higher than the regional average (2.63%). In comparative terms, Dalit population had grown at the slowest rate in Himachal Pradesh and the fastest rate in Chandigarh (UT) in the whole region during 1961–2011 (Table 16.2). Chandigarh (UT) attracts Dalits in lower categories of jobs pertaining to sanitation, garbage disposal, and other menial activities. However, there is no evidence of heavy out-migration of Dalit population from Himachal Pradesh to explain the slow growth of Dalit population in the state. In fact, in Kinnaur and Lahul & Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh, tribal population in good number reported themselves as Dalits before the Census Enumerators in 2001, while reporting as Scheduled tribes at the time of 1991 Census. Notably, Dalit population in NW region grew at a faster rate than the national average during 1961–2011. Annual compound growth rate of Dalit population in the former was 2.63% in comparison to 2.40% in the latter. Secondly, Dalit population in the NW region grew at a much high rate (2.63%) than the non-Dalit population (1.68%) in the region.Table 16.2NW India: some demographic characteristics of Dalit population, 1961–2011

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