Innovations, Entrepreneurship and Development: A Study of the Scheduled Castes in Punjab

Abstract

This article explicates entrepreneurship as a means to empower the underprivileged sections, particularly the scheduled castes, in our society. The cases of the scheduled castes from Jalandhar and Amritsar (cities of Punjab) reveal that they have experienced social, economic and political mobility through entrepreneurship. The entrepreneurial activities are, however, unevenly distributed among the rural and urban scheduled castes. It is mainly the two scheduled caste groups, namely, the Ad-dharmi and the Megh, in both the cities, who have ventured into entrepreneurship, largely by diversifying their traditional caste occupations. The Ad-dharmis have modified their skills in handling and processing the rawhides and have started leather-based industries, factories and workshops. The Meghs, who have been engaged as workers in the manufacturing of surgical instruments before migrating to these cities from Sialkot after the partition of India (1947), have excelled in sports goods and surgical instruments industries. The overall empowerment of scheduled castes is possible through entrepreneurship. The policy makers may encourage entrepreneurship as a means to achieve equality for them.