Rekha Talmaki's Book 2012 titled Socio Economic Development of Tribal Women

Socio-Economic Development of Tribal Women: Changes and Challenges by Rekha Talmaki, Delhi: The Women Press, pages-xxiii+222, price-Rs. 895

Rekha Talmaki has made a serious and commendable effort at conducting survey based research on socio-economic status of tribal women in Valod (South Gujarat) where committed Gandhian workers have dedicated more than 5 decades of their lives in village development activities based on Gandhian principles. Her personal field visits have played crucial role in bringing new insights and analysis with gender lens. She has examined tribal women’s predicaments in the context of status of women in India in general where main factors in determining socio-economic status have been income, education and occupation. She has provided an exhaustive literature review focusing on occupational life, health profile of tribal women and tribal women’s status in the family decision making. She has also evaluated the situation to find out to what extent Gandhian ideology of Antyodaya is implemented vis-a-vis tribal women, who are the poorest of the poor in the economic ladder and at the bottom of the pyramid.

The author has rightly used a conceptual framework of social exclusion that includes socio-economic parameters of inequality, poverty, social exclusion in India. She has provided definition of tribe. She has highlighted indicators such as working status and demographic aspects of tribes in Gujarat as well as size and distribution of scheduled tribe. She also reveals that sex ratio of tribal women in Gujarat is relatively higher than the rest. The question is, does that indicate they enjoy better status in socio-economic, cultural, educational and political lives? Social geography of Surat reveals volatile changes due to industrialization, urbanization and globalization. In what way have these factors affected lives and survival strategies of tribal women? The author has made an honest attempt to answer these mind boggling questions.

With the help of questionnaire for tribal women that was administered on 498 women respondents from 11 villages selected as sample who were falling in the category of 18-59 years age group, for Gandhian institutions working among them and for financial institutions, nationalized and cooperative banks, the author has tried to analyse various development efforts. She has revealed that large number of Halpatis or Dublas is found very prominently in Surat district. They are very poor, because they do not get permanent employment. They are very good in taking care of animals. SUMUL and local milk co-operatives encouraged them for animal husbandry and since then they have started keeping cattle and other animals for milk production It emerges from this study that the tribal communities, particularly women have been excluded from the main stream economic development for the last so many decades. The study was conducted to find out the socio-economic status of tribal women in Valod. Though their improved status is showing positive changes, it is also necessary to pay attention on many other aspects for the better & overall development of these women.

The most attractive feature of this study to bring to the fore efforts of veteran Gandhians such as Shri. Babubhai Shah, Smt. Savitaben Chaudhari and Smt. Dashriben Choudhari. Popularly known as Dashariba, the eminent Gandhian and freedom-fighter, who was born in 1918 in a tribal family (as she told) has been the role model for all tribal women in the region. At present she is residing in Vedchhi. She took part in the freedom struggle and taught reading and writing to Smt. Kasturba Gandhi. It can be a very good example of how these tribal men and women were actively participating in the freedom struggle. After independence, also, Dashariben devoted her full life to educate people.

The author states that women in Valod perform various income generating activities. They are either engaged in agricultural activities or in Papad Udyog or i