house maker before entering to the entrepreneurship and remaining 32% of the .... Sengupta r and Sinha A K challenges of sustainable development, Manak ...
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Dalit Women Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship in Rural Area: With Special Reference to Chamarajanagar District Rajashekar C* Dr.Ramesh B** Introduction Rural development is more than ever before linked to entrepreneurship. Institutions and individuals promoting rural development now see entrepreneurship as a strategic development intervention that could accelerate the rural development process. Furthermore, institutions and individuals seem to agree on the urgent need to promote rural enterprises: development agencies see rural entrepreneurship as an enormous employment potential; politicians see it as the key strategy to prevent rural unrest; farmers see it as an instrument for improving farm earnings; and women see it as an employment possibility near their homes which provides autonomy, independence and a reduced need for social support. Caste as the dominant factor in Indian society and entrepreneurship is the way forward for dalits to change their social status,Scheduled Caste Community has shown their keen interest to adopt entrepreneurship to raise their socioeconomic status at par with the developed community. For centuries, dalits have been at the bottom of the income and social ladders, despised and exploited. Independent India aimed to improve their lot through job reservations, but with very limited results. Nevertheless, empowerment through democracy and economic opportunities created by 20 years of economic reform has created an astonishing new phenomenon. Entrepreneurship is universally acknowledged as playing a leading role in economic growth and there is growing evidence to suggest that there is a significant causal relationship between entrepreneurship, economic growth and poverty reduction.
Rational of the Study: Chamarajanagar district constitutes 18.4% Dalit of population. So far various research has been taken up on various issues on Dalit in Karnataka. But there are less studies on the smallentrepreneur dalit women and their activity in terms of investment, sources of fund, income and the problems in the area of operation. This study is attempting to assess the impact of smallentrepreneurship on empowering the Dalit women which broke the traditional occupation system. The main aim of the study is to understand the impact of small micro-Entrepreneurship on empowering the dalit women and the associated problems of Dalit entrepreneurship. *
Research Scholar, DoSR in Social Work, Tumkur University
** Associate Professor, DoSR in Social Work, Tumkur University
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Objectives of the Study; 1. To assess the social-economic status of the dalit women entrepreneurs in rural areas 2. To study the pattern of distribution of women entrepreneurs and their empowerment concentration on different business units. 3. To find out the problems in the area of operation of these Dalit women entrepreneurs.
Methodology: This study based on the field work where the data have been restricted to the selected village of the study area. This study was conducted in Chamarajanagar District Karnataka state. The present study adopted descriptive research design, For the purpose of the study 100 Dalit women small-entrepreneurs were selected in 4 talukas of district. Those are kollegala, yalanduru, gundlupet, c.m nagar in each talukas equally share of the respondents were considered, by using purposive and snowball sampling method. The study was based both on primary and secondary method of data collection and focused group discussion was also carried out. By using structured and semi-structured self made questionnaire. The data was analyzed by using simple statistical percentage analyses.
Results and Discussion: Table-1 Socio-Economic profile Item Age
Education
Marital Status
Variables below-18 18-28 28-38 38-48 58 above Total Illiterate Primary Midle-Education high school Graduation Post graduation Total Married Unmarried Widow Separate Divorced Total
N 0 20 22 60 0 100 56 18 8 16 2 0 100 60 18 16 6 0 100
Percentage 0 20 22 60 0 100 56 18 8 16 2 0 100 60 18 16 6 0 100
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Father/Husband occupation
Family composition
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Cultivators Semi-Cultivators Unemployed Agri-labours Others Total Nuclear family Joint family Total
0 56 0 28 16 100 84 16 100
0 56 0 28 16 100 84 16 100
The above table -1 is showing the social-economic condition of the respondents. The above information table it is been highlighted that, majority 60% of the respondents are comes under the age group of 38-48. The majority 56% of the respondents are illiterate even though they are capable of handling all accounts about their business. The majority 60% of the respondents is married and 18% of the women are widow and they are the main livelihood earner for their family. Majority 56% of the women’s spouse or their fathers occupations is semi-cultivators and remaining 28% of the respondents works as agricultural labours. Table-2 showing the nature entrepreneurship Types of Enterpriser Activities Hotel 12 Grocery shop 24 Petty shop 40 Country Liquor seller 8 Vegetable seller 16 Meat Seller 0 Total 100 Period of Business activity 0 to 2 year 16 2 to 4 year 52 4 to 6 year 24 6 to 8 8 8 to 10 0 Total 100 sources of funds for investment Own Fund 8 Govt subsidy 4 Bank loan 16 Relatives & friends 6 Micro finance 34 Local Money Lenders 32 Total 100
12 24 40 8 16 0 100 16 52 24 8 0 100 8 4 16 6 34 32 100
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Initial Investment made
Main occupation before the entry
Monthly savings of entrepreneurship
1000 to 5000 5000 to 10000 10,000 to 25,000 25000 to 50000 50000 to 1,00000 Total House maker Domestic Servant Total 0 to 2000 2001 to 4000 4000 to 6000 6000 to 8000 8000 to 10,000 Total
58 26 0 16 0 100 68 32 100 76 16 8 0 0 100
58 26 0 16 0 100 68 32 100 76 16 8 0 0 100
Table-2 indicates the respondent’s entrepreneur aspects. It could be seen that, 40% of the respondents are running petty shops and distributed respectively 24%, 16%,12%, 8% and 0 % on grocery shop, vegetable sellers, Hotel entrepreneurs, country liquor sellers and meat sellers. Further the table also shows that, the period of entrepreneurship, majority 52% of the respondents are been in entrepreneurship for period of 2 to 4 years. While, the sources of income are respectively distributed 34%,32%,16%, 8%,6% and 4% on microfinance, local money lender, bank loan, own fund, relatives and friends and government subsidy. It also found that many of them are depend on local money lenders. Majority 58% of the respondents shared that, initially they invested 1000 to 5000 Rs for their business. And rest of the 26% and 16% of the respondents initial investment is 5000 to 10000 Rs and 25000 to 50000 Rs. Majority 68% of the respondents were house maker before entering to the entrepreneurship and remaining 32% of the respondents were working as Domestic servant before entering to the entrepreneurship in urban area. Majority 76% of the respondents said that, they could able to save 0 to 2000 Rs for monthly. It can be understood that their entrepreneurship increased their saving capacity. Table-3 showing the impact of Entrepreneurship Impact of Entrepreneurship Item Variables N Increased economic status Yes 76 Partial 24 No 0 Total 100 Increased social status Yes 70 Partial 30 No 0 Total 100
Percentage 76 24 0 100 70 30 0 100
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Increased participation in social activities
Increased political participation
Increased Bank operation skills
Support from home
Power to use their own money on self
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Yes Partial No Total Yes Partial No Total Yes Partial No Total Yes Partial No Total Yes Partial No Total
62 38 0 100 44 56 0 100 52 44 4 100 58 36 6 100 20 30 50 100
62 38 0 100 44 56 0 100 52 44 4 100 58 36 6 100 20 30 50 100
The above table-3 indicates the impact of entrepreneurship among the respondents. Majority 70% of the respondents shared that their economic status has increased after starting entrepreneurship. Majority 70% of the respondents revealed that their social status has increased. Majority 62% of the respondents expressed that, their participation in social activities are increased. 56% of the respondents shared that, political participation has increased. And 52% of the respondents said their bank operation skills are developed. Further 58% of the respondents said that, they are getting support from the home for their work. Majority 50% of the respondents shared that, they do not have the power to utilize their earned money for self. Table-4 showing the problems of women entrepreneurs Social problems Item Variables No Percentage Problem of Finance Yes 68 68 No 32 32 Total 100 100 Lack of primary amenities Yes 64 64 No 36 36 Total 100 100
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Male Dominante
Caste discrimination
Yes No Total Yes No Total
65 35 100 92 8 100
65 35 100 92 8 100
The above table indicates the social problems encountered by the women entrepreneurs. The majority 68 % of the respondents revealed that lack of finance is also the major problem for their entrepreneurship. Majority 64% of the respondents shared that, there is lack of primary amenities on the operational area. Majority 65% of the respondents expressed the existence of the male dominance in the operational area. Majority 92% of the women disclosed that, there is a large extent of invisible caste discrimination practice is exist in the business operational area. Apart from that women also shared the lack of infrastructure and weak market. Beside all this problems women showed much keen interest to grow in this entrepreneurship.
Conclusion: From the above analysis, it may be summarized that, Dalit women are active participants in earning the bread of their family and also contributing more for their empowerment through micro-entrepreneurship. The study shows that dalit women participation in market oriented activities was much less than the men. It was highlighted that, there is a greater awaking among dalit women about the entrepreneurship. They are gradually achieving recognition and are making valuable contributions to the family economy and as well as national economy. Suitable policies need to be formulated to cater the needs and aspiration of the small and micro-entrepreneurship.
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