ABSTRACT
The poverty rate among the Dalits in Bihar is higher compared with other states in India. It is not only high, but the gap in poverty between the Dalits and higher castes is also high. Around 99 percent of Dalits in the state are either landless or have marginal land, leading them to rely more on wage earning for their livelihood, predominantly as informal workers. The Dalits earn less than the OBCs and Other category workers, regardless of their employment type and industries. Nearly half of adult Dalit workers in Bihar earn less than the minimum wage specified for unskilled workers. More than two-thirds of adult informal workers are either poor, marginal, or vulnerable. Counting their family members together, around 80 percent of the Dalit population in the state is either poor, marginal, or vulnerable to poverty. High out-of-pocket expenditures on health and education further squeeze their household budgets. Consequently, they are compelled to spend less on food items, leading to a lesser calorie intake than the recommended calorie norms, which ultimately reflects in their poor health status and hampers their earning capacity. The low earnings further constrain the Dalits from making substantial investments in capability improvement. This creates a vicious cycle that persists and is passed on to the next generation.
