Levels of Living of Scheduled Tribes of Rural Telangana

The improvements in the levels of living of socially disadvantaged such as scheduled tribes indicate the direction and pace of inclusive growth. The levels and shifts in the private consumption expenditure of these groups can be construed as proxy indicators and reveal their welfare status and future growth prospects. The shifts and pattern of consumption expenditure of tribes of Telangana in different rural locations/typologies during 2004–05 and 2011–12 were examined in this paper. The rate of decline of poverty and reducing expenditure inequality among STs and in tribal concentrated districts suggest that the state policies were effective in improving the living standards of STs. The intake of food items in quantitative terms by STs had gone up which was desirable from the nutrition point of view. The food expenditure pattern was getting more diversified in favour of quality food items in the process of economic growth. The perspective plans for the tribal welfare of Telangana should take cognizance of these findings and optimally use the Social Development Fund.