NEW DELHI: Nearly one third of Muslims in the nation survive on less than Rs 550 a month, economic think tank NCAER said, amid the ongoing debate on reservations in jobs and educational institutions for those belonging to the community.
A survey by the National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER) said that three out of every 10 Muslims were below poverty line and lived on less than Rs 550 a month in the year 2004-05.
Even among the poor, urban Muslims were better off compared to those in villages, who survived on Rs 338 a month during the year under review, NCAER said last week.
The survey comes around the time when Supreme Court, in an interim order, has upheld the validity of four per cent job and educational reservation provided to backward members of Muslim community in Andhra Pradesh.
Also, the report of Ranganath Mishra Commission, which has suggested reservation for Muslims and other minorities, and has sought scheduled caste status for dalits who adopted Islam and Christianity, is awaiting action by the government.
"The Adivasis are the most vulnerable group with nearly 50% below the poverty line...(followed by) the Dalits and Muslims with poverty rates of 32% and 31%," said the Indian Human Development survey conducted by the NCAER and University of Maryland of the US.
The survey took the poverty line at Rs 356 per person per month in rural areas and at Rs 538 in urban areas for 2004-05. Besides, the survey said Muslims are at the bottom in terms of rural household income.
However, in the country, Muslim households are slightly better off than dalits and adivasis as a whole.
"Adivasi and dalit households have the lowest annual income at Rs 20,000 and Rs 22,800, respectively. The other backward classes and Muslim households are slightly better off, with incomes of Rs 26,091 and Rs 28,500," the report said.
As per the 2001 census, there were 13.8 crore Muslims, accounting for 13.4 per cent of the total population of India.
The survey said Muslims are most likely to generate income from small family businesses, partly because of educational differences across the community. It said social group differences in enrolment are striking.
A survey by the National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER) said that three out of every 10 Muslims were below poverty line and lived on less than Rs 550 a month in the year 2004-05.
Even among the poor, urban Muslims were better off compared to those in villages, who survived on Rs 338 a month during the year under review, NCAER said last week.
The survey comes around the time when Supreme Court, in an interim order, has upheld the validity of four per cent job and educational reservation provided to backward members of Muslim community in Andhra Pradesh.
Also, the report of Ranganath Mishra Commission, which has suggested reservation for Muslims and other minorities, and has sought scheduled caste status for dalits who adopted Islam and Christianity, is awaiting action by the government.
"The Adivasis are the most vulnerable group with nearly 50% below the poverty line...(followed by) the Dalits and Muslims with poverty rates of 32% and 31%," said the Indian Human Development survey conducted by the NCAER and University of Maryland of the US.
The survey took the poverty line at Rs 356 per person per month in rural areas and at Rs 538 in urban areas for 2004-05. Besides, the survey said Muslims are at the bottom in terms of rural household income.
However, in the country, Muslim households are slightly better off than dalits and adivasis as a whole.
"Adivasi and dalit households have the lowest annual income at Rs 20,000 and Rs 22,800, respectively. The other backward classes and Muslim households are slightly better off, with incomes of Rs 26,091 and Rs 28,500," the report said.
As per the 2001 census, there were 13.8 crore Muslims, accounting for 13.4 per cent of the total population of India.
The survey said Muslims are most likely to generate income from small family businesses, partly because of educational differences across the community. It said social group differences in enrolment are striking.
