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Papers by Dilip Diwakar

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Covid-19 on Livelihood and Health Experiences of Migrant Labourers in Kerala, India

CASTE / A Global Journal on Social Exclusion

Covid-19 is the most consequential crisis in our memory and has affected everyone irrespective of... more Covid-19 is the most consequential crisis in our memory and has affected everyone irrespective of class, caste, gender and ethnicity. The pandemic also exacerbated pre-existing inequalities, and those who were marginalised took the brunt of the unprecedented crisis. Inter-State Migrant Workers was one such community who were at the intersections of marginalisation. Mostly they belong to economically poor Scheduled Caste/Tribe and Backward Communities. Most of them are agriculture labour, and often due to poor rains and unemployment they migrate to other states for better employment and wage. This essay explores the confluence of elements that helped Kerala to manage the Covid-19 pandemic during the first wave, March to May 2020. The study adopted mixed method, about 132 migrant workers were interviewed using a structured schedule and 10 case studies were collected. The study finds that a majority, 92 per cent are SC/ST/OBC, education level less than high school and economically very...

Research paper thumbnail of Policy Directions and Public Choices in Direct Cash Transfer Programme of PDS

The Indian Journal of Social Work, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of ‘Together’: The Story of How Kerala Flattened the Corona Curve

Social Science Research Network, Apr 27, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the Social Orientation of India’s Integrated Child Development Services (Anganwadi) Program

Research Papers in Economics, 2013

Launched in October 1975, India's Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program is its lar... more Launched in October 1975, India's Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program is its largest national program for promoting the health and development of mothers and their children. In this paper we examine an aspect of the ICDS program that has been neglected, namely who are its beneficiaries? Are they persons from deprived groups who, but for the program, might not have received such services? Or are they persons from more privileged groups who have the resources to acquire them from other sources? In both cases the ICDS program adds value but, in the latter situation, it does so by displacing existing services. This particular evaluation of the ICDS program is particularly important in the light of the Government of India's view, as articulated in its Eleventh Five Year Plan, that growth is not perceived as "sufficiently inclusive for many groups, especially Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Minorities". The paper presents econometric estimates regarding the relative strength of the personal and household circumstances of persons in determining the likelihood of utilising ICDS services. These estimates suggest that inter-group differences in utilisation rates has less to do with characteristics and much more to do with group identity. Lastly, the paper suggests a trade-off between quality and utilisation by hypothesising that the poor quality of services leads upper caste mothers to exit the ICDS market and seek these services elsewhere.

Research paper thumbnail of Knowledge Accumulation During COVID-19: Increasing Digital Divide and Vulnerability Among Indian Students

Caste, COVID-19, and Inequalities of Care, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Integrated child development services programme in kancheepuram district Tamil nadu issues of access to marginalized communities

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the Social Orientation of India’s Integrated Child Development Services (Anganwadi) Program

Launched in October 1975, India’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program is its lar... more Launched in October 1975, India’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program is its largest national program for promoting the health and development of mothers and their children. In this paper we examine an aspect of the ICDS program that has been neglected, namely who are its beneficiaries? Are they persons from deprived groups who, but for the program, might not have received such services? Or are they persons from more privileged groups who have the resources to acquire them from other sources? In both cases the ICDS program adds value but, in the latter situation, it does so by displacing existing services. This particular evaluation of the ICDS program is particularly important in the light of the Government of India’s view, as articulated in its Eleventh Five Year Plan, that growth is not perceived as “sufficiently inclusive for many groups, especially Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Minorities”. The paper presents econometric estimates regarding the relati...

Research paper thumbnail of Intersectional pedagogy for gender transformation among graduate students in India: A case study from Kerala

Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Intersectional Pedagogy for Gender Sensitization Among Graduate Students in India: A Case Study from Kerala

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2020

Highlights Intersectional pedagogy for gender sensitization among graduate students in India: A c... more Highlights Intersectional pedagogy for gender sensitization among graduate students in India: A case study from Kerala. • In the beginning learners tend to outrightly reject being tagged as a feminist due to the stigma associated with it. Contrasting feature is that many people who believe they’re against feminism actually align with feminist goals. • An educational intervention centered around intersectionality and underpinned by constructive activities, democratic participation and interdisciplinary knowledge can be used to create gender sensitization which could help alleviate the unwanted stigma associated with feminism. • Intersectional pedagogy helps learners to understand the various facets, characteristics and manifestations of gender inequality in popular culture. • The pedagogy could be readily replicated in the Kerala context and can be employed in the Indian context with slight modifications.

Research paper thumbnail of Social Inclusiveness of National Food Security Bill: Issues and Concerns

PRODUCTIVITY, 2019

Highlights • This paper first proposes a design of a new five input majority gate. • The proposed... more Highlights • This paper first proposes a design of a new five input majority gate. • The proposed gate occupies 44.4% less area than the best-reported designs. • The correctness of the proposed gate is proved by designing a new RAM cell. • The proposed RAM cell is efficient in terms of area with lower energy dissipation. • The proposed designs can be used for both single and multilayer architecture.

Research paper thumbnail of Swallowing the Humiliation: The Mid-Day Meal and Excluded Groups

Journal of Social Inclusion Studies, 2014

The National Programme for Nutritional Support to Primary Education, which is popularly known as ... more The National Programme for Nutritional Support to Primary Education, which is popularly known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme ( MDMS) , was started in 1995 with the aim of enhancing enrolment, retention and attendance of children in schools, as well as of improving their nutritional levels. In 20 11, this programme covered 7.18 crore primary school-children and 3.36 crore upper primary school-children, ( GoI, Twelfth Five Year Plan, 20 12, p. 81) . Although initially it targeted primary school-children, it was extended to upper primary ( classes VI to VIII) school children in the 3,479 economically backward loc s in 2007, and finally universalised at the elementary level in 200 . Durin the Twelfth Five Year Plan, the MDMS is slated to be expanded to cover pre-primary schooling in a progressive manner, and to be extended to private unaided schools, particularly in the areas characterised by concentration of Scheduled Caste ( SC) /Scheduled Tribe ( ST) and minority populations, as well as to poor children admitted in neighbourhood private schools against the 25 per cent earmarked seats as per the provisions of the Right to Education Act ( GoI, Twelfth Five Year Plan, 20 12, p. 82) . Through the MDMS, every child is provided with a nutritional content of 450 calories and 12 g of protein per day.

Research paper thumbnail of Caste Discrimination As A Factor in Poor Access to Public Health Service System: A Case Study of Janani Suraksha Yojana Scheme

Journal of Social Inclusion Studies, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Caste, Health and Discrimination: Understanding Policies and Programme Implementation in India

Journal of Social Inclusion Studies, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of De-Notified Tribes and Criminal Stigma in Karnataka

Journal of Social Inclusion Studies, 2015

The tribal population in India is broadly divided into two categories, namely, forest dwelling tr... more The tribal population in India is broadly divided into two categories, namely, forest dwelling tribes and nomadic tribes. Some of the nomadic tribes were notified as criminals as per the Criminal Tribe Act of 1871. The Ayyangar Committee report recommended repeal of the Criminal Tribe Act (CTA) to the Government of India. The Criminal Tribes Laws (Repeal) Act, 1952 was thus enacted on the basis of this recommendation. This act de-notified the people who were previously called criminals, these people are now referred to as De-notified Tribes' (DNTs). Being one of the major states of India, there are about 6.95 per cent of scheduled tribes are in Karnataka (Census of India 2011). Karnataka has been home to both the forest dwelling tribes and the nomadic tribes, who are de-notified. Although there is lack of reliable official data, the survey by the Alemari (nomads) Tribes Federation and Mahasabha indicates that there are approximately eight lakh nomadic tribes in Karnataka. The quality of life of the nomadic tribes is very poor because of their extreme poverty. This has resulted in the prevalence of high rates of under-nutrition, high morbidity, and high infant and maternal mortality among these tribes. Their nomadic lifestyle does not allow their children to acquire a regular education, which results in low capability development. There political representation at the state as well as the local level is almost nil, which, in turn, results in very little articulation of their needs at the political and administrative levels. Their traditional occupations are being threatened by legislation

Research paper thumbnail of Food Security for Socially Excluded Groups in India: Examining the Role of Social Protection Programme

Journal of Social Inclusion Studies, 2015

I n d i a f o l l o w s W e l f a r e S t a t e M o d e l i n w h i c h t h e s t a t e p l a y s... more I n d i a f o l l o w s W e l f a r e S t a t e M o d e l i n w h i c h t h e s t a t e p l a y s a k e y r o l e i n t h e p r o t e c t i o n a n d p r o m o t i o n o f t h e e c o n o m i c a n d s o c i a l w e l l b e i n g o f i t s c i t i z e n s . T h e D i r e c t i v e P r i n c i p l e s o f S t a t e P o l i c y g u i d e s t h e G o v e r n m e n t i n f r a m i n g l a w s a n d p o l i c i e s . T h o u g h t h e s e D i r e c t i v e P r i n c i p l e s a r e n o t e n f o r c e a b l e b y t h e j u d i c i a r y b u t t h e y s e t f u n d a m e n t a l s o r b a s i c p r i n c i p l e s o f S t a t e p o l i c i e s . T h e y e n c o m p a s s w i d e r a n g e s o f R i g h t s f o r I n d i a n C i t i z e n s ; a m o n g t h e m , R i g h t t o W o r k , R i g h t t o E d u c a t i o n , R i g h t t o S h e l t e r , R i g h t t o H e a l t h , a n d P r o t e c t i o n o f M i n o r i t i e s a n d W e a k e r S e c t i o n s o f t h e s o c i e t y , a r e i m p o r t a n t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s . T h e Government of India has made many sincere e orts to establish this Directive Principle of S t a t e P o l i c y t h r o u g h v a r i o u s p o l i c i e s , p r o g r a m m e s a n d F i v e Y e a r s P l a n s . T h e y e a r 1 9 9 0 9 1 w a s d e c l a r e d a s t h e “ Y e a r o f S o c i a l J u s t i c e ” i n t h e m e m o r y o f B . R . A m b e d k a r . T h e 8 6 t h C o n s t i t u t i o n a l A m e n d m e n t A c t ( 2 0 0 2 ) e n s u r e d R i g h t t o E d u c a t i o n ( f r e e a n d c o m p u l s o r y e d u c a t i o n ) f o r a l l c h i l d r e n u p t o 1 4 y e a r s , p a v i n g t h e w a y t o a b o l i s h i n g t h e c h i l d l a b o u r . T h e G o v e r n m e n t h a s r e a l i s e d t h a t i n e q u a l i t y a n d d i s c r i m i n a t i o n h a v e a c l o s e r l i n k a g e w i t h p o v e r t y a s w e l l a s f o o d i n s e c u r i t y . S a f e c h i l d h o o d c a n n o t b e e n s u r e d u n l e s s a n d u n t i l f o o d i s a s s u r e d t o a l l c h i l d r e n a n d a d o l e s c e n t s . T h e r e f o r e , t h e G o v e r n m e n t i n t r o d u c e d M i d D a y M e a l ( M D M ) f o r s c h o o l c h i l d r e n i n 1 9 9 5 a n d P u b l i c D i s t r i b u t i o n S y s t e m ( P D S ) for all for ensuring subsidised food to all Indian citizens In spite of all these e orts, s a f e c h i l d h o o d c a n n o t b e e n s u r e d t o a l l u n l e s s a n d u n t i l a n y g o v e r n m e n t p r o g r a m m e f o c u s o n t h e o u t o f s c h o o l a d o l e s c e n t g i r l s ( A G ) w h o b e a r t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f h o u s e h o l d c h o r e s a t t h e v e r y y o u n g a g e . “ R a j i v G a n d h i S c h e m e f o r E m p o w e r m e n t o f A d o l e s c e n t G i r l s ( R G S E A G ) S A B L A ” ( 2 0 1 1 ) w a s i n t r o d u c e d a s a n i n t e g r a t e d p a c k a g e o f s e r v i c e s f o r a d o l e s c e n t g i r l s . T h e s e s e r v i c e s i n c l u d e : ( i ) N u t r i t i o n p r o v i s i o n , ( i i ) I r o n a n d F o l i c

Research paper thumbnail of Resettlement of Urban Poor in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Journal of Land and Rural Studies, 2016

In Chennai alone, over 21,000 families have already been removed from their primary livelihood ar... more In Chennai alone, over 21,000 families have already been removed from their primary livelihood area and ghettoised in the peripheral areas of the city like Kannagi Nagar, Semmencherry and Perumbakkam, which are 25 to 30 kilometres from their original habitation. Another 31,912 families are in the process of being removed to these resettlement colonies. The R&R processes adopted by the government for the urban communities have unleashed gross human rights violations including right to adequate housing, food, water, education, health, work/livelihood and security of the person and home. There are no prescribed standards or policy in place for urban resettlement, yet government is constructing more houses in these sites. This article intends to document the human rights violation faced by the resettled communities in Kannagi Nagar, Chennai, and calls for an urgent attention to bring in necessary changes in the R&R policy for urban resettlement.

Research paper thumbnail of Life on Streets: Health and Living Conditions of Children in Delhi

Marginalization in Globalizing Delhi: Issues of Land, Livelihoods and Health, 2016

‘Street-living Children’ is the most vulnerable category among the street children as they are li... more ‘Street-living Children’ is the most vulnerable category among the street children as they are living alone without any adult protection. The study was conducted to fill the gaps in the available literature on understanding the life at street and their experience in seeking care from public health institutions. The study also attempted to examine how various factors interplay in determining the life of the street children. Information on health problems and pattern of health seeking behaviour was also sought from the health providers. The study was conducted in two locations of New Delhi that is Hanuman Temple and New Delhi railway station. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions with children were used for understanding their health condition and experience of public institutions. Doctors, paramedics, NGOs workers, shopkeepers, police personnel and other key personnel were also interviewed to get a comprehensive understanding on the problems of street children. The study showed that they ran away from home at a very early age to escape from the coercive environment. However, the life at street makes them more vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse, harassment by police and lack of access to basic amenities. The constant threat and coercion enforced made them to act coercively towards others and get addicted to drugs to cope with the harsh realities. Some of them do involve in crime and other delinquent behaviours. The poor living condition and harassing environment predispose them to high level of morbidity in the form of accidents, injuries and infectious disease. The negative experience with public health institutions leads to delayed health seeking which in turn aggravates their health problems. Most of the time they seek treatment in emergency care unit. Based on the findings this paper proposes some suggestions and recommendation to address the problem of the street children in Delhi.

Research paper thumbnail of Addressing utilization of the ICDS programme in Tamil Nadu, India: how class and caste matters

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 2014

Purpose – The reduction in under nutrition is very slow in the past two decades in India even wit... more Purpose – The reduction in under nutrition is very slow in the past two decades in India even with high-economic growth rate and expansion in the ICDS programme. The ICDS evaluation studies majorly stressed on the general factors but they fail to acknowledge the structural factors - class and caste - while providing solutions. In Tamil Nadu nutritional status and utilization of ICDS services are better as compared to all-India average. The purpose of this paper is to explore the nutritional status of the poor and scheduled caste (SC) in Tamil Nadu and their utilization of ICDS services and to examine the role of group-specific factors in low reduction of nutritional status and utilization of ICDS programme. Design/methodology/approach – Multivariate analysis and logistic regression method were used using SPSS. Findings – The reduction of underweight is slow among the poorest and SC, moreover, the disparity between the richest and poorest as well as upper caste and SC is increasing. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Elimination of Identity-based Discrimination in Food and Nutrition Programmes in India

IDS Bulletin, 2012

India's growth story in recent years is being criticised for its inability to reduce the ever-inc... more India's growth story in recent years is being criticised for its inability to reduce the ever-increasing income inequality and higher incidence of malnutrition among its children, particularly those belonging to marginalised groups such as Scheduled Castes (SCs). This article examines the prevalence of identity-based discrimination in health and nutritional programmes and finds it to be one of the important reasons for the higher incidence of malnutrition among SC children. While examining the guidelines of two major nutritional support programmes-the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and the Mid Day Meal (MDM) Scheme-the article argues for making these more caste-and gender-sensitive in order to eliminate discrimination. It offers policy recommendations to address and monitor the discrimination in nutrition programmes. These include greater participation by marginalised groups like SCs in service planning and delivery, ensuring quality and promoting accountability; training and sensitisation of service providers; and the revision of administrative guidelines.

Research paper thumbnail of Caste, inequality, and poverty in India: a re-assessment

Development Studies Research, 2014

Hindus, who constitute eighty per cent of India's population, into mutually exclusive caste group... more Hindus, who constitute eighty per cent of India's population, into mutually exclusive caste groups, membership of which is determined entirely by birth. Very broadly, one can think of four subgroups: brahmins; kshatriyas; vaisyas; and sudras. Brahmins, who were traditionally priests and teachers, represent the highest caste; Kshatriyas (traditionally, warriors and rulers) and Vaisyas (traditionally, moneylenders and traders) are "high caste" Hindus; the Sudras (traditionally performing menial jobs) constitute the "other backward classes" (OBC). Then there are those persons (mostly Hindu, but some who have converted to Buddhism or Christianity) whom Hindus belonging to the four caste groups (listed above) regard as being outside the caste system because they are 'untouchable' in the sense that physical contact with them-most usually the acceptance of food or water-is polluting or unclean. In response to the burden of social stigma and economic backwardness borne by persons belonging to India's 'untouchable castes', the Constitution of India allows for special provisions for members of these castes 1. Articles 341 and 342 include a list of castes entitled to such benefits and all those groups included in this list-and subsequent modifications to this list-are referred to as, respectively, 'Scheduled Castes'. For all practical purposes the term "Scheduled Castes" is synonymous with the former "untouchable" castes. Articles 341 and 342 also include a list of tribes entitled to similar benefits and all those groups included in this list-and subsequent modifications to this list-are referred to as, respectively, 'Scheduled Tribes'. Although in most developed countries, studies of wellbeing and poverty are based on income data, which are available in many large national representative surveys, Meyer and Sullivan (2009, 2011) argue that analysis based on consumption, instead of income, provides more insight on wellbeing. The World Bank (Haughton and Khandker, 2009) echoes these feelings. Although income, defined in principle as consumption + change in net worth, is generally used as a measure of welfare in developed countries, it tends to be seriously understated in less developed countries. Consumption in developing countries is measured with greater accuracy and comes closer to measuring 'permanent income'. Following these observations, this paper analyses the per-capita monthly consumption expenditure (MCE) of Indian households. The data for the analysis was obtained from the household file of the Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS) which provided information, pertaining to 2004, on over 41,000 households spread over India. 2 The richness of the information supplied by the IHDS allowed us to explore a number of areas neglected by other researchers. First, most economic studies of caste in India focus on the SC versus non-SC distinction. In other words, these studies lose sight of the considerable heterogeneity 1 Mainly in the form of reserved seats in the national parliament, state legislatures, municipality boards and village councils (panchayats); job reservations in the public sector; and reserved places in public higher educational institutions

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Covid-19 on Livelihood and Health Experiences of Migrant Labourers in Kerala, India

CASTE / A Global Journal on Social Exclusion

Covid-19 is the most consequential crisis in our memory and has affected everyone irrespective of... more Covid-19 is the most consequential crisis in our memory and has affected everyone irrespective of class, caste, gender and ethnicity. The pandemic also exacerbated pre-existing inequalities, and those who were marginalised took the brunt of the unprecedented crisis. Inter-State Migrant Workers was one such community who were at the intersections of marginalisation. Mostly they belong to economically poor Scheduled Caste/Tribe and Backward Communities. Most of them are agriculture labour, and often due to poor rains and unemployment they migrate to other states for better employment and wage. This essay explores the confluence of elements that helped Kerala to manage the Covid-19 pandemic during the first wave, March to May 2020. The study adopted mixed method, about 132 migrant workers were interviewed using a structured schedule and 10 case studies were collected. The study finds that a majority, 92 per cent are SC/ST/OBC, education level less than high school and economically very...

Research paper thumbnail of Policy Directions and Public Choices in Direct Cash Transfer Programme of PDS

The Indian Journal of Social Work, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of ‘Together’: The Story of How Kerala Flattened the Corona Curve

Social Science Research Network, Apr 27, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the Social Orientation of India’s Integrated Child Development Services (Anganwadi) Program

Research Papers in Economics, 2013

Launched in October 1975, India's Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program is its lar... more Launched in October 1975, India's Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program is its largest national program for promoting the health and development of mothers and their children. In this paper we examine an aspect of the ICDS program that has been neglected, namely who are its beneficiaries? Are they persons from deprived groups who, but for the program, might not have received such services? Or are they persons from more privileged groups who have the resources to acquire them from other sources? In both cases the ICDS program adds value but, in the latter situation, it does so by displacing existing services. This particular evaluation of the ICDS program is particularly important in the light of the Government of India's view, as articulated in its Eleventh Five Year Plan, that growth is not perceived as "sufficiently inclusive for many groups, especially Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Minorities". The paper presents econometric estimates regarding the relative strength of the personal and household circumstances of persons in determining the likelihood of utilising ICDS services. These estimates suggest that inter-group differences in utilisation rates has less to do with characteristics and much more to do with group identity. Lastly, the paper suggests a trade-off between quality and utilisation by hypothesising that the poor quality of services leads upper caste mothers to exit the ICDS market and seek these services elsewhere.

Research paper thumbnail of Knowledge Accumulation During COVID-19: Increasing Digital Divide and Vulnerability Among Indian Students

Caste, COVID-19, and Inequalities of Care, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Integrated child development services programme in kancheepuram district Tamil nadu issues of access to marginalized communities

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating the Social Orientation of India’s Integrated Child Development Services (Anganwadi) Program

Launched in October 1975, India’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program is its lar... more Launched in October 1975, India’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program is its largest national program for promoting the health and development of mothers and their children. In this paper we examine an aspect of the ICDS program that has been neglected, namely who are its beneficiaries? Are they persons from deprived groups who, but for the program, might not have received such services? Or are they persons from more privileged groups who have the resources to acquire them from other sources? In both cases the ICDS program adds value but, in the latter situation, it does so by displacing existing services. This particular evaluation of the ICDS program is particularly important in the light of the Government of India’s view, as articulated in its Eleventh Five Year Plan, that growth is not perceived as “sufficiently inclusive for many groups, especially Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Minorities”. The paper presents econometric estimates regarding the relati...

Research paper thumbnail of Intersectional pedagogy for gender transformation among graduate students in India: A case study from Kerala

Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Intersectional Pedagogy for Gender Sensitization Among Graduate Students in India: A Case Study from Kerala

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2020

Highlights Intersectional pedagogy for gender sensitization among graduate students in India: A c... more Highlights Intersectional pedagogy for gender sensitization among graduate students in India: A case study from Kerala. • In the beginning learners tend to outrightly reject being tagged as a feminist due to the stigma associated with it. Contrasting feature is that many people who believe they’re against feminism actually align with feminist goals. • An educational intervention centered around intersectionality and underpinned by constructive activities, democratic participation and interdisciplinary knowledge can be used to create gender sensitization which could help alleviate the unwanted stigma associated with feminism. • Intersectional pedagogy helps learners to understand the various facets, characteristics and manifestations of gender inequality in popular culture. • The pedagogy could be readily replicated in the Kerala context and can be employed in the Indian context with slight modifications.

Research paper thumbnail of Social Inclusiveness of National Food Security Bill: Issues and Concerns

PRODUCTIVITY, 2019

Highlights • This paper first proposes a design of a new five input majority gate. • The proposed... more Highlights • This paper first proposes a design of a new five input majority gate. • The proposed gate occupies 44.4% less area than the best-reported designs. • The correctness of the proposed gate is proved by designing a new RAM cell. • The proposed RAM cell is efficient in terms of area with lower energy dissipation. • The proposed designs can be used for both single and multilayer architecture.

Research paper thumbnail of Swallowing the Humiliation: The Mid-Day Meal and Excluded Groups

Journal of Social Inclusion Studies, 2014

The National Programme for Nutritional Support to Primary Education, which is popularly known as ... more The National Programme for Nutritional Support to Primary Education, which is popularly known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme ( MDMS) , was started in 1995 with the aim of enhancing enrolment, retention and attendance of children in schools, as well as of improving their nutritional levels. In 20 11, this programme covered 7.18 crore primary school-children and 3.36 crore upper primary school-children, ( GoI, Twelfth Five Year Plan, 20 12, p. 81) . Although initially it targeted primary school-children, it was extended to upper primary ( classes VI to VIII) school children in the 3,479 economically backward loc s in 2007, and finally universalised at the elementary level in 200 . Durin the Twelfth Five Year Plan, the MDMS is slated to be expanded to cover pre-primary schooling in a progressive manner, and to be extended to private unaided schools, particularly in the areas characterised by concentration of Scheduled Caste ( SC) /Scheduled Tribe ( ST) and minority populations, as well as to poor children admitted in neighbourhood private schools against the 25 per cent earmarked seats as per the provisions of the Right to Education Act ( GoI, Twelfth Five Year Plan, 20 12, p. 82) . Through the MDMS, every child is provided with a nutritional content of 450 calories and 12 g of protein per day.

Research paper thumbnail of Caste Discrimination As A Factor in Poor Access to Public Health Service System: A Case Study of Janani Suraksha Yojana Scheme

Journal of Social Inclusion Studies, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Caste, Health and Discrimination: Understanding Policies and Programme Implementation in India

Journal of Social Inclusion Studies, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of De-Notified Tribes and Criminal Stigma in Karnataka

Journal of Social Inclusion Studies, 2015

The tribal population in India is broadly divided into two categories, namely, forest dwelling tr... more The tribal population in India is broadly divided into two categories, namely, forest dwelling tribes and nomadic tribes. Some of the nomadic tribes were notified as criminals as per the Criminal Tribe Act of 1871. The Ayyangar Committee report recommended repeal of the Criminal Tribe Act (CTA) to the Government of India. The Criminal Tribes Laws (Repeal) Act, 1952 was thus enacted on the basis of this recommendation. This act de-notified the people who were previously called criminals, these people are now referred to as De-notified Tribes' (DNTs). Being one of the major states of India, there are about 6.95 per cent of scheduled tribes are in Karnataka (Census of India 2011). Karnataka has been home to both the forest dwelling tribes and the nomadic tribes, who are de-notified. Although there is lack of reliable official data, the survey by the Alemari (nomads) Tribes Federation and Mahasabha indicates that there are approximately eight lakh nomadic tribes in Karnataka. The quality of life of the nomadic tribes is very poor because of their extreme poverty. This has resulted in the prevalence of high rates of under-nutrition, high morbidity, and high infant and maternal mortality among these tribes. Their nomadic lifestyle does not allow their children to acquire a regular education, which results in low capability development. There political representation at the state as well as the local level is almost nil, which, in turn, results in very little articulation of their needs at the political and administrative levels. Their traditional occupations are being threatened by legislation

Research paper thumbnail of Food Security for Socially Excluded Groups in India: Examining the Role of Social Protection Programme

Journal of Social Inclusion Studies, 2015

I n d i a f o l l o w s W e l f a r e S t a t e M o d e l i n w h i c h t h e s t a t e p l a y s... more I n d i a f o l l o w s W e l f a r e S t a t e M o d e l i n w h i c h t h e s t a t e p l a y s a k e y r o l e i n t h e p r o t e c t i o n a n d p r o m o t i o n o f t h e e c o n o m i c a n d s o c i a l w e l l b e i n g o f i t s c i t i z e n s . T h e D i r e c t i v e P r i n c i p l e s o f S t a t e P o l i c y g u i d e s t h e G o v e r n m e n t i n f r a m i n g l a w s a n d p o l i c i e s . T h o u g h t h e s e D i r e c t i v e P r i n c i p l e s a r e n o t e n f o r c e a b l e b y t h e j u d i c i a r y b u t t h e y s e t f u n d a m e n t a l s o r b a s i c p r i n c i p l e s o f S t a t e p o l i c i e s . T h e y e n c o m p a s s w i d e r a n g e s o f R i g h t s f o r I n d i a n C i t i z e n s ; a m o n g t h e m , R i g h t t o W o r k , R i g h t t o E d u c a t i o n , R i g h t t o S h e l t e r , R i g h t t o H e a l t h , a n d P r o t e c t i o n o f M i n o r i t i e s a n d W e a k e r S e c t i o n s o f t h e s o c i e t y , a r e i m p o r t a n t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s . T h e Government of India has made many sincere e orts to establish this Directive Principle of S t a t e P o l i c y t h r o u g h v a r i o u s p o l i c i e s , p r o g r a m m e s a n d F i v e Y e a r s P l a n s . T h e y e a r 1 9 9 0 9 1 w a s d e c l a r e d a s t h e “ Y e a r o f S o c i a l J u s t i c e ” i n t h e m e m o r y o f B . R . A m b e d k a r . T h e 8 6 t h C o n s t i t u t i o n a l A m e n d m e n t A c t ( 2 0 0 2 ) e n s u r e d R i g h t t o E d u c a t i o n ( f r e e a n d c o m p u l s o r y e d u c a t i o n ) f o r a l l c h i l d r e n u p t o 1 4 y e a r s , p a v i n g t h e w a y t o a b o l i s h i n g t h e c h i l d l a b o u r . T h e G o v e r n m e n t h a s r e a l i s e d t h a t i n e q u a l i t y a n d d i s c r i m i n a t i o n h a v e a c l o s e r l i n k a g e w i t h p o v e r t y a s w e l l a s f o o d i n s e c u r i t y . S a f e c h i l d h o o d c a n n o t b e e n s u r e d u n l e s s a n d u n t i l f o o d i s a s s u r e d t o a l l c h i l d r e n a n d a d o l e s c e n t s . T h e r e f o r e , t h e G o v e r n m e n t i n t r o d u c e d M i d D a y M e a l ( M D M ) f o r s c h o o l c h i l d r e n i n 1 9 9 5 a n d P u b l i c D i s t r i b u t i o n S y s t e m ( P D S ) for all for ensuring subsidised food to all Indian citizens In spite of all these e orts, s a f e c h i l d h o o d c a n n o t b e e n s u r e d t o a l l u n l e s s a n d u n t i l a n y g o v e r n m e n t p r o g r a m m e f o c u s o n t h e o u t o f s c h o o l a d o l e s c e n t g i r l s ( A G ) w h o b e a r t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f h o u s e h o l d c h o r e s a t t h e v e r y y o u n g a g e . “ R a j i v G a n d h i S c h e m e f o r E m p o w e r m e n t o f A d o l e s c e n t G i r l s ( R G S E A G ) S A B L A ” ( 2 0 1 1 ) w a s i n t r o d u c e d a s a n i n t e g r a t e d p a c k a g e o f s e r v i c e s f o r a d o l e s c e n t g i r l s . T h e s e s e r v i c e s i n c l u d e : ( i ) N u t r i t i o n p r o v i s i o n , ( i i ) I r o n a n d F o l i c

Research paper thumbnail of Resettlement of Urban Poor in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Journal of Land and Rural Studies, 2016

In Chennai alone, over 21,000 families have already been removed from their primary livelihood ar... more In Chennai alone, over 21,000 families have already been removed from their primary livelihood area and ghettoised in the peripheral areas of the city like Kannagi Nagar, Semmencherry and Perumbakkam, which are 25 to 30 kilometres from their original habitation. Another 31,912 families are in the process of being removed to these resettlement colonies. The R&R processes adopted by the government for the urban communities have unleashed gross human rights violations including right to adequate housing, food, water, education, health, work/livelihood and security of the person and home. There are no prescribed standards or policy in place for urban resettlement, yet government is constructing more houses in these sites. This article intends to document the human rights violation faced by the resettled communities in Kannagi Nagar, Chennai, and calls for an urgent attention to bring in necessary changes in the R&R policy for urban resettlement.

Research paper thumbnail of Life on Streets: Health and Living Conditions of Children in Delhi

Marginalization in Globalizing Delhi: Issues of Land, Livelihoods and Health, 2016

‘Street-living Children’ is the most vulnerable category among the street children as they are li... more ‘Street-living Children’ is the most vulnerable category among the street children as they are living alone without any adult protection. The study was conducted to fill the gaps in the available literature on understanding the life at street and their experience in seeking care from public health institutions. The study also attempted to examine how various factors interplay in determining the life of the street children. Information on health problems and pattern of health seeking behaviour was also sought from the health providers. The study was conducted in two locations of New Delhi that is Hanuman Temple and New Delhi railway station. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions with children were used for understanding their health condition and experience of public institutions. Doctors, paramedics, NGOs workers, shopkeepers, police personnel and other key personnel were also interviewed to get a comprehensive understanding on the problems of street children. The study showed that they ran away from home at a very early age to escape from the coercive environment. However, the life at street makes them more vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse, harassment by police and lack of access to basic amenities. The constant threat and coercion enforced made them to act coercively towards others and get addicted to drugs to cope with the harsh realities. Some of them do involve in crime and other delinquent behaviours. The poor living condition and harassing environment predispose them to high level of morbidity in the form of accidents, injuries and infectious disease. The negative experience with public health institutions leads to delayed health seeking which in turn aggravates their health problems. Most of the time they seek treatment in emergency care unit. Based on the findings this paper proposes some suggestions and recommendation to address the problem of the street children in Delhi.

Research paper thumbnail of Addressing utilization of the ICDS programme in Tamil Nadu, India: how class and caste matters

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 2014

Purpose – The reduction in under nutrition is very slow in the past two decades in India even wit... more Purpose – The reduction in under nutrition is very slow in the past two decades in India even with high-economic growth rate and expansion in the ICDS programme. The ICDS evaluation studies majorly stressed on the general factors but they fail to acknowledge the structural factors - class and caste - while providing solutions. In Tamil Nadu nutritional status and utilization of ICDS services are better as compared to all-India average. The purpose of this paper is to explore the nutritional status of the poor and scheduled caste (SC) in Tamil Nadu and their utilization of ICDS services and to examine the role of group-specific factors in low reduction of nutritional status and utilization of ICDS programme. Design/methodology/approach – Multivariate analysis and logistic regression method were used using SPSS. Findings – The reduction of underweight is slow among the poorest and SC, moreover, the disparity between the richest and poorest as well as upper caste and SC is increasing. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Elimination of Identity-based Discrimination in Food and Nutrition Programmes in India

IDS Bulletin, 2012

India's growth story in recent years is being criticised for its inability to reduce the ever-inc... more India's growth story in recent years is being criticised for its inability to reduce the ever-increasing income inequality and higher incidence of malnutrition among its children, particularly those belonging to marginalised groups such as Scheduled Castes (SCs). This article examines the prevalence of identity-based discrimination in health and nutritional programmes and finds it to be one of the important reasons for the higher incidence of malnutrition among SC children. While examining the guidelines of two major nutritional support programmes-the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and the Mid Day Meal (MDM) Scheme-the article argues for making these more caste-and gender-sensitive in order to eliminate discrimination. It offers policy recommendations to address and monitor the discrimination in nutrition programmes. These include greater participation by marginalised groups like SCs in service planning and delivery, ensuring quality and promoting accountability; training and sensitisation of service providers; and the revision of administrative guidelines.

Research paper thumbnail of Caste, inequality, and poverty in India: a re-assessment

Development Studies Research, 2014

Hindus, who constitute eighty per cent of India's population, into mutually exclusive caste group... more Hindus, who constitute eighty per cent of India's population, into mutually exclusive caste groups, membership of which is determined entirely by birth. Very broadly, one can think of four subgroups: brahmins; kshatriyas; vaisyas; and sudras. Brahmins, who were traditionally priests and teachers, represent the highest caste; Kshatriyas (traditionally, warriors and rulers) and Vaisyas (traditionally, moneylenders and traders) are "high caste" Hindus; the Sudras (traditionally performing menial jobs) constitute the "other backward classes" (OBC). Then there are those persons (mostly Hindu, but some who have converted to Buddhism or Christianity) whom Hindus belonging to the four caste groups (listed above) regard as being outside the caste system because they are 'untouchable' in the sense that physical contact with them-most usually the acceptance of food or water-is polluting or unclean. In response to the burden of social stigma and economic backwardness borne by persons belonging to India's 'untouchable castes', the Constitution of India allows for special provisions for members of these castes 1. Articles 341 and 342 include a list of castes entitled to such benefits and all those groups included in this list-and subsequent modifications to this list-are referred to as, respectively, 'Scheduled Castes'. For all practical purposes the term "Scheduled Castes" is synonymous with the former "untouchable" castes. Articles 341 and 342 also include a list of tribes entitled to similar benefits and all those groups included in this list-and subsequent modifications to this list-are referred to as, respectively, 'Scheduled Tribes'. Although in most developed countries, studies of wellbeing and poverty are based on income data, which are available in many large national representative surveys, Meyer and Sullivan (2009, 2011) argue that analysis based on consumption, instead of income, provides more insight on wellbeing. The World Bank (Haughton and Khandker, 2009) echoes these feelings. Although income, defined in principle as consumption + change in net worth, is generally used as a measure of welfare in developed countries, it tends to be seriously understated in less developed countries. Consumption in developing countries is measured with greater accuracy and comes closer to measuring 'permanent income'. Following these observations, this paper analyses the per-capita monthly consumption expenditure (MCE) of Indian households. The data for the analysis was obtained from the household file of the Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS) which provided information, pertaining to 2004, on over 41,000 households spread over India. 2 The richness of the information supplied by the IHDS allowed us to explore a number of areas neglected by other researchers. First, most economic studies of caste in India focus on the SC versus non-SC distinction. In other words, these studies lose sight of the considerable heterogeneity 1 Mainly in the form of reserved seats in the national parliament, state legislatures, municipality boards and village councils (panchayats); job reservations in the public sector; and reserved places in public higher educational institutions