The Government of India had ushered in the new millennium by declaring the year 2001 as 'women's Empowerment year' to focus on a vision 'where women are equal partners like men. The most common explanation of 'women's empowerment is the ability to exercise full control over one's actions. The last decades have witnessed some basic changes in the status and role of women in jour society. There has been shift in policy approaches from the concept of welfare' in the seventies to development' in the eighties and now to 'empowerment, in the nineties.

The Study Addresses To The Economic Development Of Scheduled Castes In A Changing Economy And Is Based On Papers Presented In The Seminar On Economic Development Of Scheduled Castes In Punjab. Its Findings Should Be Of Value To Researchers As Also To Those Who Are Directly Responsible For The Planning And Monitoring Of The Socio-Economic Development Of The Weaker Sections. It Is Sufficiently Broad- Based To Cater To The Needs Of The Student Community As Well.

Majority of the books written about upliftment, development and empowerment of the Scheduled Castes were base on field experience. This book, though based on field study, is rich in theory. One exclusive and exhaustive chapter in the book explains about empowerment issues pertaining to Scheduled Castes, up to date and in detail. Unlike many other books that concentrate only on one or two development variables, this book is a comprehensive work on education, occupation, political participation, social status and empowerment of Scheduled Castes. It is hoped that this will be of much use researchers, academicians and planners.

The concept of Empowerment is a multi-faceted, multi-dimensional and multi-layered. The women’s empowerment is a process by which women gain greater share of control over resource-material, human and intellectual like knowledge, information, ideas and financial resources like money-and access to money and control over decision-making in the home, community, society and nation.1 The Proceedings of the Third International Women’s Conference held at Nairobi in the year 1985, paved the way for emergence of concept of women empowerment and the statesmen of great vision perceived it as a powerful tool for re-distribution of social power and control of resources in favor of women.

1. An Overview 2. Ex-Scheduled Castes of South India 3. Contemporary Issues 4. Dalit Theology 5. Caste Influences in Rural India 6. Economic Conditions 7. Privileges Other than Reservations 8. Social and Educational Problems9. Privileges in the Field of Education 10. The Drop-out Dilemma 11. Scheduled Castes: Industrial WorkersIndex

The present volume on ‘The Development of SCs and STs in India’ contains several contributors on various aspects relating to problem and development of SCs and STs. These contributions have been transpired form reputed academicians and research scholars in the Universities and Colleges. The book emphasized on development of SCs and STs in India. A clear–sighted and well-researched view on the problem have been put forth in this volume. The present exposition through critical analyses is an objective attempt to understand the reality relating to various strategies and schemes being followed for SCs, STs development in India This book will certainly prove of immense values to all those interested in Development of SCs and STs, especially the planners and policy makers in evolving an appropriate viable strategy for development in the coming years.