41% families of 75 villages in Jharkhand earn Rs 45 a day

Forty-one per cent families in 75 villages in Jharkhand earn less than Rs 45 a day, while 65.9% families have a meager annual earnings of less than Rs 90 a day in six districts - Latehar, Palamau, Giridih, Deoghar and Seraikela-Kharsawan.

This was revealed by three NGO’s – Association for Social and Human Awareness (ASHA), Jharkhand Recource Centre (JRC) and Centre for World Solidarity (CWS) after their extensive surveyin 2010.

Senior programme officer of JRC-CWS Rajesh Kumar Jha disclosed that the survey covered 75 villages and 12 municipal slums, consisting 1,492 rural and 142 urban sample households that covered 7,666 rural and 716 urban population.

He said the survey had been carried in target villages and the villagers were asked how much food they needed for alive. About 16% of target families miss pulses and vegetables on their platters on a daily basis while additional 12% families have occasional intakes of pulses and vegetables. 68% of the families spend two-third of their income on food. Despite food-grains supply under special food security programme for primitive tribal groups, they spent about 70% of their income on food.

Citing reasons, secretary of ASHA, Ajay Kumar said about 74% of the families are small holding marginal farmers in Jharkhand and the active engagement in agriculture work for them is no more than three months.

Kumar said the people of Jharkhand especially the tribes traditionally depend on agriculture, minor forest produces and artisanship to fulfill their basic needs.

He added that the state report to the 12th finance commission indicated that since 1987 there has been altogether nine drought years declared in the state. Out of which five were during the period of 2000-2010.