Project Description :

It is being increasingly realized that poverty and deprivation are multidimensional phenomenon and estimates of poverty based on the narrow income-line approach may not adequately capture the extent and severity of deprivation faced by the population. The pattern of social relation prevailing in a country can to a large extent explain and contribute to the vulnerability of the different population groups, given the deprivation and inequality it brings to the discriminated groups. This is particularly true for India since, race, caste, ethnicity and religion based discrimination has reigned the countries social structure for ages. Studies on poverty and social exclusion in India carried out recently bring to light the existence of the disparities among the various population groups. However, most of these studies have been limited in their scope. It is, therefore, necessary to understand the causes of poverty and inequality in the light of Indian social and religious structure.

This study aims to contribute to the existing literature by looking at deprivation from the perspective of social exclusion and/or marginalization. The nature and extent of the prevailing disparity over time and across socio-religious groups shall be analyzed and quantified. Seven mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive socio-religious groups have been identified for this purpose, viz., Schedule Tribe, Schedule Caste, Hindu (non ST/SC), Muslim (non ST/SC), Christian (non ST/SC), Sikh (non ST/SC) and All Others. The study shall be based mainly on secondary data collected by the National Sample Survey Organization of the Government of India. The use of any other data source shall depend on its relevance to the proposed work as well as availability.

Other Information :
Previous Work Experience:

1. Worked as Consultant in the National Council of Applied Economic Research, New Delhi with effect from June 2005 to August 2005.
   
   
2. Worked as a Research Associate in the Department of Economics, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong (Principal Investigator Dr Amaresh Dubey) with effect from June 2004 to May 2005.
   
   
3. Worked as an Economics Teacher in the Assam Valley School, Tezpur, w.e.f March 2003 to April 2004.
   
   
4. Worked as a Research Associate in the Department of Economics, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong (Principal Investigator Dr Amaresh Dubey) w.e.f. July 2001 to October 2002.Projects Worked on:

Projects Worked on:

1. “Sir Ratan Tata Trust Funded project on Status of Rural Infrastructure in Meghalaya”, NCAER, New Delhi
   
   
2. “Poverty, Level of living and Employment Structure in Medium and Small Towns in India”, funded by National Sample Survey Organization (N.S.S.O), Government of India.
   
   
3. “Calorie Deficiency among Indian Households: A Disaggregated Analysis”, Paper Commissioned by the World Bank.
   
   
4. “Disparities in Poverty Incidence and Consumption among different Social Groups in India”, Indian Institute Dalit Studies, New Delhi,
   
   
5. “Disparities in Poverty Incidence and Consumption among different Religious Groups in India”, sponsored by Prime Ministers High Level Committee to study the Socio-Economic and Educational Status of Muslims in India, GOI, New Delhi.
   
   
6. “India Human Development Programme (2003-2007)”, NCAER, New Delhi and University of Maryland.

Papers/Articles (published or accepted for publication)

1. “The Non-farm Sector in the Rural North- Eastern Region of India: Some Correlates and Determinants” (with Amaresh Dubey and Veronica Pala), Manpower Journal (forthcoming).
   
   
2.  “Migration in the North- Eastern Region of India: Some Issues” (with Amaresh Dubey and Veronica Pala) in Dubey, A., M. Satish Kumar, N. Srivastav and E. D. Thomas (eds.) Globalisation and North- East India: Some Developmental Issues, New Delhi, Standard Publishers, pp. 55-92, 2007.
   
   
3. “The Employment Situation In The North- Eastern Region Of India: A Gender Perspective” (with Amaresh Dubey and Veronica Pala) in Dubey, A., M. Satish Kumar, N. Srivastav and E. D. Thomas (eds.) Globalisation and North- East India: Some Developmental Issues, New Delhi, Standard Publishers, pp. 115-146, 2007.
   
   
4. “The Nonfarm Sector in the Rural North- Eastern Region of India: Some Correlates and Determinants” (with Amaresh Dubey and Veronica Pala) in Dubey, A., M. Satish Kumar, N. Srivastav and E. D. Thomas (eds.) Globalisation and North- East India: Some Developmental Issues, New Delhi, Standard Publishers, pp. 147-170, 2007.
   
   
5.  “Status of Education in Meghalaya”, (with Amaresh Dubey) background paper prepared for the Meghalaya Human Development Report, Government of Meghalaya, Shillong, 2006.
   
   
6. “Income, Employment and Unemployment in Meghalaya: A Disaggregated Analysis”, (with Minakshi Chakraborty and Veronica Pala), background paper prepared for the Meghalaya Human Development Report, Government of Meghalaya, Shillong, 2006.
   
   
7. “The Employment Situation in the North-Eastern Region of India: A Gender Perspective” (with Amaresh Dubey, Veronica Pala and Eugene D Thomas), Manpower Journal (Special Issue on North East), Vol. 41, No. 2,  pp. 151-170,  2006
   
   
8. “Non-farm Employment and Decline in Rural Poverty in India: An Exploratory Exercise” (with Amaresh Dubey and Veronica Pala), Manpower Journal, Vol. 38, Nos. 2&3, pp. 49-73, July-December, 2005.
   
   
9. “Labour Mobility: Evidence from Northeastern Region of India” (with Amaresh Dubey and Veronica Pala), Labour and Development, Vol 9, No.2, pp. 196-222, 2003.

Papers Presented in Conferences

1. “The Employment Situation in the North-Eastern Region of India: A Gender Perspective” (with Amaresh Dubey and Veronica Pala ), paper presented at National Seminar on Globalisation, Employment, Migration and Trade: Relevance for the North-Eastern Region of India, sponsored byThe Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Kolkata, organised by the Department of Economics, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, November 22-23, 2002.
2. “Changes in Poverty Levels by Social Groups in India over the Past Decade: A Comparison based on an Analysis of 50th and 61st round NSS Data”, paper presented at National Conference on Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policies, IIDS-Princeton University Collaboration on Labor Market Discrimination, organised by Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, New Delhi, October 26-27,