http://www.livemint.com/2011/12/22231551/A-Dalit-success-story.html?h=B
Posted: Thu, Dec 22 2011. 11:15 PM IST
A Dalit success story
Dalit entrepreneurs lack the social networks or organizational backing
or access to credit to compete with non-Dalit businesses, and this is
precisely where the state can intervene by, for instance, prioritizing
procurement from Dalit-run companies by public sector enterprises
In just about every way that can be measured, prejudice, both social
and economic, against Dalits has reduced since independence. Since
1991, after liberalization, some Dalits have been able to take
advantage of the new opportunities offered by the growing economy just
as others have. This was in evidence at the first-ever national trade
fair organized by the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries
in Mumbai a few days ago. The fair was supported by corporate
heavyweights such as the Tata and Godrej groups, and found support
from the Confederation of Indian Industry as well. There is a move on
the part of industry to encourage Dalit enterprise, which wants to
embrace the concept of "supplier diversity" and promote Dalit
entrepreneurship. No less than titan of industry Ratan Tata called
upon corporate India to use its economic clout in pursuit of social
justice.
There is some evidence to suggest that the expanded set of
opportunities offered in the post-liberalization economy flattened the
playing field for aspiring Dalit entrepreneurs. A rapidly expanding
economy opened up new jobs and careers to people who were otherwise
pushed to the margins of private industry. Liberalization upended the
status quo and a number of Dalits were able to take advantage of the
resultant chaos to acquire capital like never before. The market could
thus be said to be levelling historical disadvantages more effectively
than caste-based reservation has done.
The necessity of affirmative action—or, in the Indian context,
caste-based reservation—has long been a matter of debate. Enshrined in
article 15(4) of the Constitution, the quota system is intended to
provide equal opportunity in education and employment to scheduled
castes and tribes. How successful such a policy is in equalizing the
playing field for Dalits is highly contentious —and, indeed, it has
been argued that such a policy is more effective as a political tool
to gather votes than to make available educational or professional
opportunities that would have otherwise been closed to them. Certainly
the idea of extending quotas to the private sector to increase Dalit
economic achievement has merited strong opposition.
However, this does not mean that the government cannot incentivize
private enterprise to promote social justice, or aid in removing some
of the barriers that Dalit-owned businesses face. Dalit entrepreneurs
lack the social networks or organizational backing or access to credit
to compete with non-Dalit businesses, and this is precisely where the
state can intervene by, for instance, prioritizing procurement from
Dalit-run companies by public sector enterprises.
Illustration by Jayachandran/Mint
Is affirmative action the way to social justice? Tell us at views@livemint.com
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