Socio-Economic Condition of Tharu Community (A Case Study of Dibyanagar VDC of Chitwan District)

Abstract

This thesis entitled "Socio-economic Conditon of Tharu Community: A Case Study of Dibyanagar VDC of Chitwan District"is a field based work. It seeks to analyze three objectives namely to discuss the social condition of the Tharu people, to study the family life and village organization and to trace out the economic condition of Tharu people. This study has chosen as a special topic to addresssocio and economic problem of the Tharu community and to find outthe solution of these problems. This study is based on descriptive research design. In Dibyanagar VDC, there are 1612 households.The study area is the ward no. 2 of this VDC. This ward includes three villages simari, Majadiha and Hirapur. There are only Tharu and non-Tharu settlements at Majadiha and Hirapur Village respectively but mixed(Tharu and non-Tharu) settlement at simari village There are 235households at this ward. Out of 235 households, there are 133households of the Tharus and rest are of non-Tharus (Pahadiya). Among them 25 households (18.8%) are taken for the study. Selection of the household was done by using random sampling based on lottery method. For this study, data are collected from field survey by applying household's survey and observation method using questionnaire. In the study area, the average family size of ward No. 2 is 5.12whereas the average family size of sampled households is 5.92. Theyoung population are 37.8 percent, the economically active are 58.8percent and only 3.4 percent are in the age above 60 years. The sexratio is 94.73 males per hundred females and the dependency ratio is70.11 percent. Likewise, the literacy rate is 69.6 percent. In the study area, 76 percent households are nuclear family and rest 24 percent are joint family. Most of them 64 percent are treated by faith healer (Gurau) and health worker and 36 percent go to health worker. There is no any problem of drinking water. Similarly, 96percent respondents have knowledge about family planning. 20percent Tharus have marriage age between 10-15 years, 76 percent between 16-24 years and only 4 percent have 25 years. Thus early marriage invites early pregnancy and high fertility in that community. Life cycle ceremonies of Tharu follow Hindu religious system.The Tharus of this village have adopted new types of dressing and ornaments. The main occupation of Tharu is agriculture but its patternis old. There is no equal distribution of land, 24 percent are landless.Majority of them have non-registered land. Their housing condition is poor. They have no sufficient food for a year. Only 24 percent households produce adequate quantity of food grains for one year.Similarly, 80 percent respondents take loan from informal sources and72 percent households have very low annual income. It indicates the annual deficit budget, which is supplemented by loan borrowing,credit purchase etc. There is lack of awareness in Tharu community and their economic condition is poor. Thus, every year the Tharu community falls in the vicious cycle of poverty. Modern agriculture pattern,vocational training, high breeding livestock, land reform program, lowinterest credit and awareness of health and education programmes are necessary in such area. This study gives the clear picture of Tharus' socio and economic condition. Socio and economic practices affect Tharu community as these factors seem to play a vital role in shapingthe development pattern of a Tharu community.