Socio-Economic Condition of Kumal Community (A Case Study of Bidur Municipality, Nuwakot) Nepal

Abstract

The study entitled "Socio-economic Condition of Kumal Community" in Bidur Municipality of Tallo Pipaltar Nuwakot District was conducted during 2063 B.S. In general the objective of this research was to study the impact on Socio-economic condition of Kumal Community in their traditional society by development interventions and modernization. For understanding the underlying dynamisms, the Kumals of Bidur Municipality-7, Pipaltar, Nuwakotwas studied. The design of the study is descriptive. Two types of data primary and secondary, were collected to complete the research work. Primary data were collected by various methods in the field &secondary were collected form various GOs, INGOs & institutions,in the field area. Respondents were selected using the purposive sampling method. Also questionnaire and observation, focus group discussions were used to obtain qualitative information The Kumal is an ethnic group among the 61 ethnic groups. The development program is not launched in this area. Kumals havenative culture they have own language, norms and value. In the past,they were adopted to traditional occupation, but at now they are farming. Agriculture, live stock raising and pottery were major occupations. Their indigenous production system was simple and self sustained. The people were self-employed. After development intervention rural indigenous production system collapsed due to substitution by modern materials or manufacturing goods. This created dependency and shifting of the indigenous art, knowledgeand technology resulting peripheralization of the local inhabitants. This study reveals that relative population size of Kumals who involve in traditional occupation in the study area has been significantly reduced overtime. The size of the population is increasing rapidly which does not bear the food sufficiently from the limited land resources. The only reason behind that is land fragmentation. The study reveals that after the development intervention majority of the Kumals are sustaining their life as sharecropper, potter, labours etc. these people have lack of regular in come sources after the loss of market of the earthen pots. Sustainable faring system degraded after the deforestation and degradation of soil and well as young generation people are engaged in other activities. So, their traditional occupation is decreasing. Development may have both negative and positive impacts in that ethnic group in this study area. In this area the Kumal people have better socio-economic status of the community by the development, as well as their indigenous knowledge, technology and arts should be disguised/ collapsed in the negative intervention by the development. But also development is main parts of towards community process and raise to economic condition of ethnic groups in the society.