KARNATAKA - of Planning Commission

Karnataka Human Development Report 2005and small holdings respectively. It is evident thatthe share of operational holdings decreases as thesize of holdings increases for SCs as well as for allgroups. An important feature is that the marginaland small operational holdings of the SCs whichform about 82 per cent of total SC holdings accountfor a little more than half (53 per cent) of the totaloperated area belonging to SCs. As against this,72 per cent of the marginal and small holdingsof non-SCs and non-STs, account for about 32.4per cent of the total operated area (Table 9.4).The majority of SC cultivators own marginal andsmall holdings, which are not viable and drivethem towards indebtedness and poverty. It couldbe argued that, for a majority of SC cultivatorsowning agricultural land has become a symbol ofsecurity rather than a major source of income.TABLE 9.4Distribution of operational holdings and operated areas by major sizeclass for different social groups in Karnataka: 2001(Per cent)Size ClassScheduledCastesNo. ofholdingsAreaScheduled Tribes Others TotalNo. ofholdingsAreaNo. ofholdingsAreaNo. ofholdingsAreaMarginal 52.13 19.70 40.84 12.00 45.41 11.40 45.94 12.20Small 30.13 33.10 30.89 25.30 26.28 21.10 26.98 22.40Semi medium 13.73 27.70 19.37 29.60 18.26 27.90 17.79 28.00Medium 3.65 16.00 7.85 25.30 8.65 28.30 8.03 27.00Large 0.36 3.50 1.05 7.70 1.40 11.40 1.26 10.50All sizes 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00Source: Agricultural Census 2001, Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Karnataka, 2003.Land ownership does not necessarily mean anincrease in income for two reasons: SC holdingsare small and unviable and the land they own isnot irrigated (Table 9.5).EmploymentSince data on employment in the primary, secondaryand tertiary sectors for the 2001 census is not yetavailable, the following analysis is based on the1991 Census data. Scheduled Caste workers areheavily concentrated in low paying agriculturalactivities and other occupational positions. Theyare yet to create space for themselves in high-endoccupations. This situation is applicable not only tothe SCs in Karnataka but also to the SCs of otherstates with only a difference of degree. Among thethree major sectors — primary, secondary andtertiary — representing agriculture, manufacturingand services, the distribution of SC main workersin Karnataka was 78.83 per cent, 10.43 per centand 10.74 per cent for each sector respectively.The distribution of non-SC main workers in thestate, in these respective sectors, during the sameyear, was 64.91 per cent, 13.77 per cent and21.32 per cent. The SCs are under represented inthe manufacturing and service sectors. The samplesurvey (DES: 2004A) provides fresh insights(Table 9.6).The proportion of cultivators and landlessagricultural labourers among SCs was 23.48 perTABLE 9.5Ownership of agricultural landType of agricultural land PercentageRural SC households owning land 48.40Irrigated 11.34Un-irrigated 83.25Partly irrigated 5.41Source: Sample Survey, Directorate of Economics and Statistics,Karnataka, 2004A.TABLE 9.6Occupational distributionType of occupation PercentageCultivator 5.74Agricultural labour 19.59Other labour 10.50Private enterprises 1.52Government service 1.31Private service 1.18Artisans 0.56Household work 10.84Students 30.31Others 18.45Source: Sample Survey, Directorate of Economics and Statistics,Karnataka, 2004A.Among the three majorsectors – primary,secondary and tertiary– representing agriculture,manufacturing andservices, the distributionof SC main workersin Karnataka was78.83 per cent,10.43 per cent and10.74 per cent for eachsector respectively.215