Gender Dimensions of Poverty and Food Security: A Case Study of Palamu District of Jharkhand

Abstract

A wide regional and inter-district disparity exists in the state of Jharkhand. The rankings of its districts on indicators of development reveal that those located in the north-western parts of Jharkhand including Palamu and its north-eastern parts are less developed compared to the ones falling in the central and western parts of the state (Planning-cum-Finance Department, 2017, Jharkhand Economic Survey 2016–17, Ranchi: Government of Jharkhand). Jharkhand is one of the most poverty-stricken states of India with a sharp contrast between rural and urban poverty. Studies often show that the process of liberalisation and economic reforms in India has a mixed impact on a mineral rich state like Jharkhand. The well-known phenomenon of ‘resource curse’ is particularly observed in the case of Jharkhand where manufacturing sector growth is increasing but the state is lagging behind in terms of human development indicators. The political instability and unplanned exploitation of its mineral wealth without benefiting the tribal population clearly indicate that the state suffers from the deficit of governance and development. It is in this context that this article analyses the patterns of poverty and food security among tribals and other social groups in seven villages of Manatu block under Palamu district of Jharkhand from a gender perspective. The article also explores the factors influencing the dynamics of household food security in Palamu district through empirical findings. It examines how the poor rural/tribal communities cope with food insecurity through case studies. Finally, the article critically analyses the implementation of social policies in addressing food security problem of Jharkhand.