Public Policy and Sustainable Development

Public Policy and Sustainable Development With Regard to Socially
Disadvantaged Group
(A Study With Regard to Dhankut of District Bahraich,U.P.)
Dr. Alok Chantia, Lecturer,Dept. of Anthropology, Sri J.N.P.G.College,Lucknow
Dr. Preeti Misra Lecturer,Dept.of Human Rights,School for Legal Studies,Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar
University,Lucknow
Dr. Rohit Misra Lecturer, Dept. of Social Work, Lucknow University, Lucknow
Keywords- Culture, Development, Public Policy, Dhankut
Abstract- Man created culture for his smooth survival and spread all over the world . The
earning of livelihood became an important aspect of life after coming into existence of
culture as many physiological changes occurred during the process of evolution. In
cultural set up it became very difficult for a human being to survive as his digestive
system was not as strong as that of an animal .Therefore he became victim of
circumstances. After the coming into existence of state, man searched for employment
and other resources so as to earn his livelihood and survive in this cruel world. In the
process man also surrendered his independence before the state in the hope that it will
take care of his wants and wishes.
In a welfare State it is the responsibility of the state to look after its people. The
government of India incompliance with fundamental rights guaranteed under Indian
Constitution and directive principles of state policy made various policies and
programmes for the upliftment of its people. The government of India has also launched
various policies for the protection of human rights.
Present study has been made with regard to public policy and sustainable development in
context of socially disadvantaged group Dhankut living in Bahraich district of Uttar
Pradesh. The group under study is residing in Dhankuttypura of district Bahraich of U.P.
It is a small, neglected, unobserved group by the academicians and researchers. Dhankut
are only 2687 in number (2001 census). It is neither agricultural, occupational nor service
class group. Mainly they are engaged in retail works. They are listed in voter's list with
the name of Dhankut without any caste or sub-caste description of SC/ST/OBC. Nothing
is known about their history, origin or fore fathers. Though they claim themselves to be
of General category but they are not so recognized by the adjacent communities of
Brahmins, Kayastha and Vaish. Dhankut is almost an illiterate group. The spread of
education is either very low or absent amongst them. Since they have no socio-cultural
identity of their own, they have borrowed certain cultural traits from other adjacent
communities and have developed some peculiar characteristics of their own. It is an
endogamous group, to save their identity they are practicing cross cousin and parallel
cousin marriages.
Here an attempt has been made to analyse and evaluate policies and programmes of the
government regarding socially disadvantaged groups. Some suggestions have also been
made to ensure sustainable development with regard to human rights of socially
disadvantaged groups. All this study has been done specially with regard to Dhankut,
living in Bahraich district of U.P. which is also a marginalized and socially
disadvantaged group.