Socio-Economic Backwardness in the Post-Pandemic Era: A Study of the Narikuravar Community in Mayiladuthurai

Abstract

This study examines the socio-economic backwardness of the Narikuravar community in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, in the post-pandemic era. The Narikuravar, a historically nomadic community, were added to the State’s list of Scheduled Tribes (as “Narikoravan, Kurivikkaran”) by the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Second Amendment) Act, 2022, which received Presidential assent on 2 January 2023, following Union Cabinet approval on 14 September 2022. Yet little field evidence exists on how far the community remains socio-economically backward after recognition, or on how the COVID-19 pandemic deepened its existing disadvantages. Against this background, the study profiles the socio-economic characteristics of Narikuravar households, assesses their access to identity documents and certificates, evaluates awareness and use of welfare schemes, and examines the effect of COVID-19 on livelihoods. To this end, a descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted with 50 adult respondents (25 men, 25 women) selected by purposive, gender-balanced quota from the settlement at Pallavarayanpettai, Mayiladuthurai district, using an interviewer-administered structured schedule. Primary results are compared with Census 2011 and State statistics and with published studies of the community. The results show that respondents were young (70.0% aged 18–30), all married and in nuclear families; 90.0% were illiterate (all 25 men); 84.0% earned up to ₹5,000 a month; and 86.0% lived in kutcha or semi-pucca houses. Possession of Aadhaar, ration card, voter ID and Community Certificate was universal, but only 70.0% held an Income Certificate (women 60.0%, with seven women’s applications pending). All households received free ration and 84.0% had health insurance, but only 6.0% had benefited from a housing scheme and none held an MGNREGA job card. The lockdown stopped the trade income of all 50 respondents, and respondents reported discrimination as an obstacle to relief and recovery. Taken together, these findings show that the community’s socio-economic backwardness persists in the post-pandemic era, rooted in illiteracy, low and insecure income, poor housing and incomplete access to income-linked certification and welfare, and that it falls more heavily on women. They therefore support assisted, camp-based certification, priority housing for ST households and livelihood support suited to mobile trade.