Imagining of inclusive growth and development in the Indian context reminds of the difficulty surrounding the immensely-stratified Indian society and mainly the turbulences faced by the lowest of the social strata, i.e., the Dalits. The Constitutional virtues of the fundamental rights of equality coupled with affirmative action and pro-Dalit policies of the Government have failed to achieve the desirable result of equality and socioeconomic inclusion in favour of Dalits. There is no doubt that there have been some changes partly due to the policies and partly due to the Dalit movements, hard work and enterprise of Dalits, who have believed in change despite social opposition and financial constraints.
It has resulted in a considerable shift of focus from the traditional approach towards Dalit rights, empowerment and uplift through legislations and protection measures to attain inclusive growth through expansion of markets acting as a crusade against social exclusion. It is now understood that Dalit entrepreneurship may not be the sole ammunition against social exclusion of Dalits, but it can fasten the process of Dalit empowerment as a powerful catalyst.
Dalit entrepreneurship therefore being a fulcrum of social change can bring in a new narrative regarding the self-assertion of Dalits as a voice of change and empowerment. The present generation of Dalits is gradually getting aware of the affluence and autonomy that comes as a corollary to entrepreneurship and that it can break the shackles of the social order and hierarchy. Moreover, entrepreneurship can sharpen the blade against exploitation and strengthen the bargain to consolidate the social position; it is an opportunity to rewrite the history and to put the Dalits’ very own share of brick in the construction of a new and progressive India that will belong to all in equal measure.
The unfortunate prevalence of the mighty caste institution has historically been the sole determinant of vocation among communities; and therefore, some of the castes have always held the field more efficiently and profoundly in the world of business and entrepreneurship. This has bestowed upon them a strong entrepreneurial instinct and network to use in running their enterprises and to sail through the turbulences and ups and downs that come up with running businesses; so, most members of Dalit communities go for Government or private employments or caste occupations.
If the reports of the Ministry of MSME are to be relied, enterprises run and owned by Dalits are abysmally low in generation of revenues and numbers as well. Various studies show that Dalits still rely on their hereditary caste occupations as a means of survival and sustenance, which are usually manual, unhygienic and give paltry income.
Besides, the Dalits who contemplate entering into the domain of entrepreneurship are discouraged by social disapproval, lack of capital, apathy of Government system because they don’t know how to access or influence it; and lack of family and community support apart from dearth of instances from among their own people to get the inspiration and courage.
It goes without saying that no New India can be contemplated for all practicality without inclusive development of all those who constitute the Indian society especially the marginalised, the Dalits. But to achieve this, it needs institutional mechanism to be developed at governmental level, governmental support both with regard to finance and appropriate mentorship should be designed and private players should be encouraged and incentivised to extend helping hand to the budding Dalit entrepreneurs and to develop the spirit of enterprise among Dalits.
There is no denying that some steps have already been taken at governmental level like the financial aid of guaranteed credit up to Rs 1 crore for SC/ST entrepreneurs under the Stand-Up India initiative, which however failed to achieve desired results in the absence of the stipulated kind of eligible SC/ST entrepreneurs. Apart from this, it is important that the Government should follow a nation-wide policy to increase the share of goods produced by Dalit entrepreneurs in government procurements; and rules for collaterals should be adequately amended to ease the financing of Dalit projects and all financing institutions including NBFCs should be instructed accordingly and CSR policy should be amended to mandatorily create a national corpus to provide necessary financial aid to deserving Dalit entrepreneurs.
The future of Dalit entrepreneurship holds a lot of promises for a new, inclusive, progressive and stronger India, which shall further strengthen India’s soft power in the global map, but it requires change of social mindset, political will and unanimity, along with corporate participation and reaffirmed commitment from the Government.
(The writer is an Additional Central Government Standing Counsel, Central Administrative Tribunal, Cuttack Bench and a Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Law and Media Studies at School of Mass Communication, KIIT University. He can be reached at sjyotiranjan3@gmail.com. Views are personal)