SECC survey: 97% rural families do not pay income tax

A lot has been claimed about inclusive development and bringing rural India in mainstream by many governments in last six decades, but the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 reveal surprising facts

A lot has been claimed about inclusive development and bringing rural India in mainstream by many governments in last six decades, but the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 reveal surprising facts.

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According to the survey, 1,02,22,277 households in rural Rajasthan (97% families) do not pay income-tax; 73.11% families earn less than Rs 5,000 per month (less than Rs 166 per day); 90% families do not have a fridge; 38% families are landless and only 8.42% of the households have a ‘kisan card’ with credit limit of Rs 50,000 or above.

Of the total population of 5,44,09,906, 47.58% are illiterates, 14.68% left schools before completing primary education, 13.82% have primary education, 10.66% have middle education, 6.08% have secondary education, 3.81% have higher secondary education and only 2.95% have graduate or higher level degrees, the survey finds.

“Much has been talked about inclusive development, but focus was not laid. What was and is required a separate scheme for rural areas. A policy looking to the geographical area and needs for the uplift. The way earlier government worked made rich become richer and poor become poorer,” said Arun Chaturvedi, minister social justice and empowerment department. He added the survey results are an eye-opener and will prove beneficial while making schemes.

He said what’s good about the survey is that it covered multiple sectors and gave a comprehensive picture which needs to be used as baseline for evaluation. Still, nomadic tribes and community remain uncovered and unrecorded. “The survey needs to go for verification by people at gram sabha level,” he said.