ABSTRACT
The aim of the study is to examine the political involvement of Tribal Women Associated to self-help group. The Tribal women are made economically powerful and given social respect the confidence has been increased. Skilful leadership can be developed from the women. The area of study Kalrayan Hills in Vizhupuram District has been selected based on observation method. The study finds that there was a feeling of dependability about the different types of scheme provided by the government. But, after participation in saving group their habit of saving has been increased and they came out from ideological apathy and most of part their income expand on children’s nurturing and their diet. They fix value of product and sell the product. The Tribal women haven’t got the right like men. Tribal women start to know their own welfare and mostly attract the agricultural based business.
INTRODUCTION
The tribal women constitute a sizeable position of the population. Due to their under-education and under-privileged character, they are exploited largely. Their deep ignorance reduces their political strength. It is also made clear that the corruptive politicians using the women strength for their corruptive activities. The non-significance character of the women reduces their political strength and increases the corruption among the politicians. Due to the group formation and the SHGs activities of their rights, as a society has begun to respond. More and more women are adopting carrier and finding employment as individuals at the same time due to the group formation and leadership abilities women are engaging as Panchayat members and try to make them as presidents of local Panchayats and other same boards.
SHGs improve the political power of the women population of Kalrayan Hills. According to the survey all the SHGs are accepting these truths and the emerging local body members are from the SHG population is considerable. Another interesting strength is that the SHG reduces the mental stress of the women population. Due to the family burden, male domination and other frustration the women population were suffered. When they grouped, they could discuss about their problem and the SHGs are providing periodical advices to solve these problems and they can easily solve the problem and finally it reduces the mental stress. The social evils like dowry system, caste and religion are reduced due to the development of SHGs. It is seen that SHGs are formed not only in single caste, but also mingling with different castes.
One of the interesting factors is that due to the application of the SHGs started to learn to keep the records. By getting the knowledge from the SHGs are maintaining all the necessary records to write account, ledger, preparing budget and all other necessary records to run the SHGs. Totally, SHGs is not only empowering the women, but also it helps to develop all other development of rural economy.
If rural and tribal women are made economically powerful, and given social respect, the confidence will be increased and once the confidence increased, skillful leadership can be developed from the women.
PARTICIPATION IN SELF HELP GROUP
Self Help Group (SHG) is a small voluntary association of poor people consisting of 15-20 members, who have consensus to improve their economic, social and political status. SHGs promote thrift and credit practices among their members. There are four stages of development of SHGs – formation stage, stabilization stage, livelihood promotion stage and sustainable stage. At each stage, members show improvement in their personal development, access to financial resources, collective efforts for starting up livelihood activities and finally an empowerment status.
PANCHAYAT RAJ INSTITUTION
The 73rd and 74th Amendment of the Constitution (1993) and the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) PESA Act, (1996) permitted the Tribe to participate at the grass root level governance involving Panchayat Raj Institution and women were given one-third seats. Since then, three terms of Panchayat election have been conducted and women Panchayat Presidents elected and participated in the village leadership. Most of these women being illiterate and inexperienced in handing formal administration, they face many challenges and are experiencing the stage of transition in the Panchayati administration. During the election, out of total 15 Panchayats in Vizhupuram District in Kalrayan Hills, seven female members were elected as presidents and participated in Panchayat leadership. There was a lot of improvement in infrastructural development and other common facilities such as Electricity connection and communication. Most of the villages have access road now, electricity connection and water supply services. Therefore, there is an increased mobility of tribal men and women to towns in the plains and have enhanced opportunities to come in contact with the mainstream society.
STUDY AREA
The Kalrayan Hills are a major range of Hills situated in the Eastern Ghats of the Southern Indian State of Tamil Nadu by covering four districts of Tamil Nadu namely Vizhupuram, Salem, Tarmapuri, and Thiruvaanamalai. The total area of Kalrayan Hills is approximately 57,111.24 hectares. The forest area amounts to 45,225.06 hectares and other area 11,886.18 hectares. The range serves as a boundary between the Salem and Vizhupuram districts. The Kalrayan Hills are divided into two sections; one is the northern section, referred to as the Chinna (“little”) Kalrayan. The Chinna Kalrayan average 2700 feet in height, while the Periya Kalrayns average 4000 feet. These sections rich are divided according to the height of the Hills. They have rich natural resources and many fertile lands. The traditional people of these areas call themselves as “Goundas”. But the Government has recognized them as “Malayali” which means inhabitants of the Hills.
Table 1: Total Population of Study Area: Kalrayan Hills in Vizhupuram District
Villages 2017
Total Villages 164
Area 2076 sq.km
Total Population 44,494
Table 2
Taluks Tribal Population
Sankarapuram 25,759
Chinna Salem 18,735
PRIMARY DATA
Present research study is based on tribal and rural population in which men-women, patriarchal, economic participate, personality, social stratification, political socialization, have been included for study. On this basis, primary data have been collected from 5 cautious persons through questionnaires and 10 women through interview from 7 villages of Kalrayan Hills for comparison for reliable figures. And through this findings and suggestions have been resolved. For study, figures are based on the condition of January 2017. For secondary data, books, journals, government documents have been used and through this information of findings.
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
Though it is modern society, the role of women for development and culturalization is very important. To include the savings and banking habits among the members. To enable availing of loan for productive purposes. The role of women is equal to men in social, family life, economical, religious, educational and political field. To study social and political condition of tribal and rural women, to understand the stratum and social condition of tribal women, and to contemplate transaction, decision power, creation process for economic empowerment of tribal women.
SELECTION SAMPLINGS
Learning data have been selected through pre-determined economic, social and political sampling by defined objectives.
Total 15 Gram Panchayats from Sankarapuram and Chinna Salem taluks of Vizhupuraam District in Kalrayan Hills, 7 female members were elected as Presidents and participated in Panchayat leadership.
Table 3: Selection of Sampling
S.No Name of Gram Panchayats Total Selected Women
1 Serapattu 1
2 Vanjikuzhi 1
3 Pacherry 1
4 Kilakkaud 1
5 Vengodu 1
6 Thoradipattu 1
7 Melpacherry 1
According to decided sampling, notes have been withdrawn and 7 active members have been selected by simple random sampling.
ANALYSIS
Before inclusion into saving group, tribal women were doing their domestic works, collection of forest wealth, wages and working on farm. According to the information given by respondents, after participation into the saving group, this women’s domestic and economical wages distribution work haven’t been decreased. In capitalist and socialist society, the work in family is reserved for women. According to tribal women do equal work to men in every field like house building, framing, animal husbandry, wages, collection of forest wealth, upbringing of children, clean, swab, scrub, and washing clothes. But they don’t have an equal status. For this reason, women’s productivity and value of their wages have been considered. Most women who participated into saving group give more priority to take debts from saving group than money lender and started for buying and selling the product through different Co-operative Society. Tribal women have started earn money though doing different works, but they don’t have right to spend. Tribal women have the right to property. The women, who are participated into saving group, have started to make a production of such crops which have demand in the market. So their family condition is started to improve. The tendency of society is now changing from joint family into separated family. They think that they can participate in collective works through separated family. Tribal women have started to participate in communal system. So they become too much practically aware and their awareness is developed about primary education. Education atmosphere has been developed in tribal children and their living standard has been improved and eating habits have been also changed. These women went to work with their children, but now they leave their children at home with elder person of family.
CONCLUSION
After studying tribal region of Kalrayan Hills of Vizhupuram District, it is noticed that there was a feeling of dependability about the different types of schemes provided by the government. But after participation in saving group, their habit of saving has been increased and they come out from ideological apathy and most of part of their income expends on children’s nurturing and their diet. Previously, tribal women collected collection of forest wealth give to money-lenders, but now their attitude is changed. They fix the value of product and sell the product according to the market prize and try to increase their income. Tribal women have taken aloof from public production system and keep them limited to domestic work. So these women haven’t yet got the rights like men. After participating in saving group, these women start to know their own welfare. Because through saving group livelihood and welfare of family, their obligation, and the income from saving group to their family income, these women play an important role. Though banking facilities are available in tribal area, tribal women get its benefits. Most of the women are attracted towards agriculture based business and market process.
– N. Ruby
Ph.D., Research Scholar, Women’s Christian College, Nagercoil.
REFERENCES
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