Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur   

Muslims lag behind in development: study

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR, JULY 15. A comparative socio-economic survey conducted by five Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in 22 villages and four urban habitations in the district has revealed that Muslims were lagging behind the Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes in majority indicators of human development.

Giving the details of the survey to reporters here on Thursday, the representatives of five NGOs -- K. Khasim Peera and Renuka Devi - said that literacy was 47 per cent among Muslims as against 49 in SCs and 59 in BCs. The gender ratio (male: female) was 53:47, 49:51 and 51:49, respectively.

The main activity of livelihood from which Muslims earned more than 50 per cent of the total income was found to be unskilled labour for 37 per cent families (72.5 SCs; 45.36 BCs), petty business for 28 per cent families (5.55; 21.41), agriculture 3.59 per cent (1.23; 14.1), technical work 15.44 per cent (4; 3.65) and artisans 11 per cent (5.55; 7.9). Only 1.42 per cent among Muslims had Government employment (2.8; 1.98).

While school dropout rate was found to be almost equal among the three communities at 17, 18 and 13 per cent, respectively, the incidence of child labour was higher among Muslims with 28 per cent as against 15 and 12 per cent in the other two communities. Interestingly, 50.58 per cent Muslim families were found to have adopted family planning measures as against 52.78 and 61.13 per cent among SCs and BCs. Polygamy was also quite low with 2.36 per cent (per 100 families) against 2.5 and 1.7 per cent among SCs and BCs.

The average family size was found to be 4.6 persons among Muslims as against 4.35 among SCs and 4.54 among BCs. Regarding Government welfare and development schemes only 6.2 per cent Muslim families got house sites as against 20.1 and 22.53 per cent among SCs and BCs. Only 6.8 per cent of Muslims had Government constructed houses (37; 28). However, 10.7 per cent Muslim families were given bank loans as against 5.5 among SCs and 5.6 among BCs. Around 63 per cent Muslim families had ration cards against 56 among SCs and 55.2 among BCs.

In all, 1,876 families (1,198 Muslim, 323 SC and 355 BC) were surveyed between January and June this year in 22 villages of Gummaghatta, Somandepalli, Penukonda, Kothacheruvu and Kadiri mandals and four habitations in Rayadurg, Hindupur and Kadiri municipalities and Penukonda major gram panchayat.

Five NGOs -- Mass Education, Rural Development Society, Rural Environment and Development Society, Saraswati Mahila Mandali and Samata conducted the survey.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• Muslims lag behind in development: study

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu