ABSTRACT
This study aims to analyze the socio-economic characteristics and the economic inequality of natives and non-natives. Lorenz Curve and Gini Coefficient are the tools used to measure the extent of economic inequality in terms of MPCE on food, non-food items, education and health care, per capita saving and investment, and land possession. The present study is based on the primary data collected from two selected district of Assam through interviews consisted of 300 households from the 784 households of the two villages, with 150 households each from Kathalguri under Udalguri and Kharupetia under Darrang. The sample households were selected using random sampling. The final sample used for analysis included 295 households as 5 households chose not to respond. The study found marginal differences in their socio-economic activities between the two groups.
The distribution of household resources for the native and non natives shows a significant difference within the ‘poorest’ and ‘richest’ quintiles class as regards the MPCE on food and non-food items, education and health care, per capita saving and investment, and land ownership. The non natives Gini Index of MPCE for food, non-food, food and non-food combined, investment and land ownership show less inequality than among the natives. In terms of MPCE on education, MPCE on health care and per capita saving, the native shows less inequality than the non natives. Out-migration has been found to be another source of livelihood as the out-migrants sent remittances to their families.
