Financial Inclusion at the intersection of Social Exclusion: A study among the Juang Tribes in Keonjhar district of Odisha

Abstract

The Fifth Five Year Plan by Govt of India introduced the concept of Primitive Tribal Groups (later termed as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups), since then a number of special development interventions are being extended for this vulnerable section through specially set up Micro Projects for effective implementation and all-round development of PVTGs. As compared to all the tribal communities inhabiting this country, the PVTGs are the most vulnerable, marginalised and isolated. They live in small-scattered habitats in remote and inaccessible terrain, devoid of required infrastructure, such as, road network, communication facilities, electricity, health, and educational amenities. This paper has delved into the Juang tribal communities and households with the lens of exclusion and alienation from the formal financial systems by analysing various factors from the demand and supply side responsible for financial exclusion. At the pre-set, the study attempted to find out whether the indicators of financial inclusion as defined and decided by policy makers and planners is relevant in the context of Juang Tribe. Along with this, the paper maps the facets of financial behaviour of Juang households, the local dynamics, the readiness of the community, infrastructural challenges, the demand side issues in service delivery etc. Based on the findings certain recommendations have been suggested for the financial inclusion of Juang Tribes.