Abstract
This study estimates poverty, wealth inequality and financial inclusion, for the first time, at the sub-caste level in both Hindus and Muslims using a unique survey data collected from 7124 households in Uttar Pradesh, India, during 2014–2015. The results confirm the existing hypothesis that Brahmins, Thakurs and other Hindu general castes have higher wealth accumulation, lower poverty and lesser exclusion from formal financial services than Dalits. Exclusion from formal financial services forces Dalits to depend primarily on informal financial sources for borrowing—which leads to financial misfortune and further dragging them into a vicious cycle of poverty.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1227-1255 |
Number of pages | 29 |
Journal | Journal of International Development |
Volume | 34 |
Issue number | 6 |
Early online date | 17 Feb 2022 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Aug 2022 |