Economic growth with social justice has been the major objective of planning process and rural development programmes in India. The government would not only take into account economic goals, but also consider social aspects like providing access to deprived section to participate in the development process. Article 46 of the Indian Constitution imposes the obligation on the government to promote the socioeconomic interests of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Both Central and the

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... .governments have implemented various schemes/programmes for the upliftment of the poor families including scheduled castes that are living below poverty line. The government also made efforts to promote education and employment opportu¬nities for the SCs/ STs through protective discrimi¬nation policies as per the constitutional provi¬sions and through scholarship facilities. The present study analyzes the important schemes implementing for the welfare of Scheduled Caste in Ananthapuramu district and their specific impacts on them. Introduction The living conditions of Scheduled Caste population in Ananthapuramu district are not different to their counterparts elsewhere in India. In the district the predominant Scheduled Caste community is Madiga. More than 80 per cent of Scheduled Caste population belongs to Madiga sect. The other major Scheduled Caste sects living in Ananthapuramu district are Mala, Dokkala and Mala Dasari. In Ananthapuramu district 70 per cent of Scheduled Caste people were living in rural areas. In the rural areas of the district the majority of the landowners comprise the upper and middle caste members and majority of the landless peasants comprise the lower castes, specially the untouchable castes.