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BONDILI Sri K. Balaji singh, President and B.Subbu Singh, Secretary A.P.Bondili Sangh, Guntur district submitted representations to the then chairman, A.P. Commission for Backward Classes on 29-04-1994 requesting to include Bondili caste in the list of Backward Classes. It was represented that Bondili caste people migrated to Andhra Pradesh from Bundelkund and they are spread over in most of the districts and also the neighbouring states of Tamilnadu and Karnataka. About 80% of the people are living below poverty line. They are eking out their livelihood by preparing sweetmeats, pulling rickshaw, working in private factories, watchman and agricultural coolies. They are educationally and socially backward. Bondili caste was recognized as socially and educationally backward and included in the list of Backward Classes right from the days of British rule. In the states of Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Maharastra they are recognized as backward class but in Uttar Pradesh they are included in the list of schedule castes. In Andhra Pradesh this caste was recognized as backward class till 1970 but without giving any reasons Anantaraman Commission failed to include this caste. Since then they have been making representations to the Government and to the authorities concerned but no positive action was taken.
L.Rajender Singh, President, R.Balaji Singh, Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Bondili Sangh, Nellore have also submitted their representations. Sri Seetharam Singh, Bondilis Rajput Committee, Hyderabad also submitted representations requesting to include the caste in the list of Backward Classes. It was represented that their estimated population was around 4.15 Lakhs. K.Jaipal Singh, President and K.Satyanarayan Singh, Secretary, West Godavari Bondili Sangh, Eluru also submitted their representations. Sri C.J. Ayodhya Ramsingh, Joint Secretary, Chittoor district Bondili Sangh also submitted representations to the Commission. Sri M.Balram Singh, President, Bondili Sangham Tirupati also submitted representations to the Commission. B.Balaji Singh, president and
-2M.Balaji Singh Secretary, Prakasam District Bondili Sangham, Ongole have also submitted their representations. R.Bhimsingh, president and A.Ramsingh Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Bondili Sangham Nellore District have also submitted their representations. B.Chakradhar singh and B.Sudhir Singh of Andhra Pradesh Bondili Sangham of Khammam district have also submitted their representations. Bondili Narayana Singh president, Bondili Vykunta Ram Singh of Andhra Pradesh Bondili Sangh Hyderabad Branch have also submitted their representations. There were also representations from Andhra Pradesh Bondili Sangh, at Machilipatnam, Kurnool, Nellore, Kadapa, Khammam and other districts. It was also contented that Mandal Commission found that the Bondili caste was socially and educationally backward and therefore the Mandal Commission recommended for inclusion of this caste in the list of Backward Classes. After the Commission was reconstituted the notification dated 31-03-2006 was issued which was published in A.P. Gazette dated 13-04-2006 calling for representations, objections and suggestions and in pursuance of the said notification the caste representatives submitted similar representations. The Commission subsequently held public hearing on 17-05-2006. At the time of public hearing Sri K.Shankar Singh, Chairman, A.P.Bondili Sangh, Guntur, P.Krishna Singh, Kavali, J.Vijayalakshmi Hyderabad, Vykunta Ramsingh of Vishakapatnam, B.Heeraman Singh of Machilipatnam, B.Satyanarayana Singh of Machilipatnam, K.Balaji Singh of Kurnool, V.R.Prithvi Raj Singh of Srikalahasti, K.Shyam Shankar Singh of Guntur, B. Sardar Sigh of Guntur, B.Srinivasa Singh of Narsaraopet and others appeared before the Commission and represented about the living conditions of the people and pleaded for inclusion.
The Commission formulated a format to conduct socio-economic survey of the households to assess the living conditions of the people. The survey team adopted the said format and the survey team conducted door-to-door household sample survey during August and October 2006 and March and August 2007 in
-3Anantapur, Chittoor, Vizianagram, Srikakulam, east Godavari and Krishna districts the survey results are as follows. Survey Results
1. Introduction: The survey staff of the Commission conducted Local enquiries and Investigations including door-to-door sample household survey during Aug. & Oct of 2006 and March & Aug. of 2007 in Anantapur, Chittoor, Vizianagram, Srikakulam, East Godavari and Krishna districts. The sample household Survey covered 104 Households of this community. The traditional occupation of this community is Soldiers, Puppet Show.
2. Social Status: All the 104 Households comprising 427 persons are
living in
Rural 20%
and Urban 80% with average household size 4.10. The Sex ratio of the Community is 93 Female per 100 Male where as the same is 71 for the age group below 15 years. Results on Traditional Occupation (T.O.) Item a) Traditional occupation in practice b) Feeling of the caste people on Traditional Occupation c) T.O treated by others
d) Social discrimination
Remarks Yes No Superior Inferior Normal Superior Inferior Normal Yes No Normal
No of Households 11 92 0 38 65 0 38 65 39 1 63
Percentage 10.6 89.4 0.0 36.5 62.5 0.0 36.5 62.5 37.5 1.0 60.6
-4About 11% of households of this community are attending to their traditional occupation. On account of their traditional occupation it is observed that about 38% of households are socially discriminated in their locality and about 37% households treated as inferior by others and 37% of households reported as inferior.
3. Educational Status: a) Sex-wise literacy (7 years & above) S. No 1 2
Description Literates Illiterates
No % No %
Male 150 78.9 40 21.1
Female 132 70.6 55 29.4
Total 282 74.8 95 25.2
The literacy rate of Male 78.9%, Female 70.6% and total is 74.8% as against the state literacy rates 70.32, 50.43 and 60.47 respectively. The literacy rate of the community is found above the state level literacy. b) Educational level completed: (7 years & above) S. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Class Passed Below 5th 5th class 7th class 10th class Inter Degree P.Gr. Pro.Tech. All Classes
No. of persons Literates 48 64 102 33 16 15 1 3 282
Percentage over Population Literates 12.7 17.0 17.0 22.7 27.0 36.2 8.8 11.7 4.2 5.7 4.0 5.3 0.3 0.3 0.8 1.1 74.8 100.0
Though the literacy rate is higher than the state rates but only 9.3% PostMatriculates are found in the Community, the balance 65.5% are passed up to Matriculation.
-5c) Literates and dropouts (7 years and above): S. No.
1 2 3 4 5
Age Group
7-14 15-24 25-39 40-59 60+ All
Population
Total Literates
54 80 128 79 36 377
50 69 95 49 19 282
Percentage of Literates Among Over Age Total Group Pop. 92.6 13.3 86.3 18.3 74.2 25.2 62.0 13.0 52.0 5.0 74.8
Drop outs From Edn. 11 47 86 48 18 210
Percent of dropouts Over Over Population Literates 20.4 58.8 67.2 60.8 50.0 55.7
22.0 68.1 90.5 98.0 97.7 74.5
The literacy rate among the age-group 7-14 years is less than 100%, and a higher dropout rates are noticed in the age groups 7-14 and 15-24 years. d) Drop-outs from School / College studies with reasons (All-ages) S. No. Reason for Dropouts 1 2 3 4 5 6
Failed Education not required Marriage To work Poverty Health & others All
No. of Dropouts 19 16 23 23 125 5 211
Dropout Rate 9.0 7.6 10.9 10.9 59.2 2.4 100.0
Percentage. over pop. 4.5 3.7 5.4 5.4 29.3 1.2 49.4
About 50% of dropouts among the literates of the Community are established over the total population. The higher dropouts among the literates with reasons i.e., Poverty (59%), to work (11%) and due to Marriage (11%) are noticed.
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4. Employment Status: The entire surveyed population of Bondili Community basing on their economic activity is divided into Working group and Non Working group. The Working group of people is consisting of Daily wage earners, Self-employed, Regular salaried and part-time workers. So also the Non-Working group of people consisting of children, students, aged, retired, ill health, unemployed, housewives, and households.
a) Working and Non-Working groups of people by sex are as follows.
Number Percentage Over total
Male 123 55.6
Workers Female 51 24.9
Total 174 40.8
Male 98 44.4
Non-Workers Female Total 154 252 75.1 59.2
It is noticed that the Male workers constitute 55.6% Female 24.9% and the total 40.8% against the state workers rates 56.23%, 35.11% and 45.8% respectively. In all respects the work participation rates of the Community is below the state level figures.
-7b) Statement showing Economic activity among working people. S. No
Economic activity
1
Daily wage in Agri.
2
Daily wage in Non Agri.
3
Self employed in Agri
4
Self employed in Non-Agri
5
Regular salaried in Govt.
6
Regular salaried in Pvt.
7
Part time workers
Grand Total
Sex
Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total
Number Percent to Percent to Total pop. WorkersPopulation 12 5.4 9.8 5 1.4 9.8 17 4.0 9.8 36 16.3 29.3 3 1.5 2.9 39 9.1 22.4 4 1.8 3.2 1 0.5 2.0 5 1.2 2.9 45 20.4 36.6 15 7.3 29.4 60 14.0 34.4 6 2.7 4.9 2 1.0 3.9 8 1.9 4.6 19 8.6 15.4 6 2.9 11.8 25 5.9 14.4 1 0.4 0.8 19 9.3 37.2 20 4.7 11.5 174 40.8 100.0
The people of this community are engaged in all the above activities with more workers in Self-employed in non-Agriculture, followed by Daily wages in non-Agriculture and Regular salaried in Private establishments.
-85. Economic status:
Description a) Possessing Agrl. Land b) Type of House (residing) i) Pucca ii) Semi pucca iii) Kutcha/Huts c) Having Ration cards: i) White ii) Pink iii) No card d) Facilities/Amenities: i) Phone – Having connected Not having Phone ii) Drinking water in the – Yes premises of households No iii) Electricity connection Yes No iv) Toilet within the premises Yes No e) Percapita income = 8397..Per Annum f) Avg. Land holding = 0.07. Acres.
No. of Households
Percentage over hhs.
3
2.9
34 34 35
33.0 33.0 33.9
80 15 8
77.7 14.6 7.7
18 85 35 68 84 19 54 44
17.5 82.5 33.9 66.0 81.6 18.4 57.3 42.7
About 78% of households possessing white Ration cards, 83% of households without Phone connected and 66% without drinking water within their premises, 18% and 43% without electricity connected and toilet within premises respectively. The per capita income of this Community is Rs.8397 as against the state average income Rs.25,695. The per capita income of the community is 33% of the state average income.
The data collected by the survey team would reveal that they are socially discriminated and others treat them as inferior. Though the literacy rate is higher
-9than the state rate the post matriculates are less and school / college dropouts are more due to the reasons mentioned above. The per capita income of this community is less than the state average. About 78% of the household possesses white ration cards and they are living in unhygienic conditions without any basic amenities like water, electricity and toilet within their premises.
The name Bondili is said to be has been derived from Bundelkund. Edgar Thurston and K.Rangachari in their book ‘Castes and Tribes of Southern India’ dealt with Bondili ‘In the Madras Census Report, 1891, the Bondilis are ‘said to derive their name from Bundelkund. They claim to be Rajputs, but appear to have degenerated. They are generally cultivators, peons or the bodyguards of Zamindars.
Bondili people are engaged in cultivation, agriculture, casual and industrial labour, rickshaw pulling, sweet making, sculpture etc., very few individual are working in Government jobs due to their low literacy rate, child labour exists in some areas.
The Commission personally visited the places of their habitation to assess the living conditions of the people. Most of them reside in semi-pucca houses without the basic amenities within their premises.
Government of India appointed Kaka Kalerkar Commission to identify the Other Backward Classes and as seen from the report of the said Commission for Hyderabad state at S.No.16, Bondili caste people is recommended as a backward class. Subsequently the Government of Andhra Pradesh issued G.O.Ms No. 1885 Health, Housing and Municipal Administration Department dated 21-06-1963, which recognized Bondili caste at S. No. 60 in the list of backward classes of Telangana area in respect of admission of students to the integrated M.B.B.S
- 10 course in the medical colleges in the Telangana area from the academic year 1963-64. Subsequently a cabinet sub committee was constituted to draft the Backward Classes list and in pursuance of the recommendations, G.O.Ms No. 1880 Education II Department dated 29-07-1966 was issued recognizing the Backward Classes among Bondili caste at S. No. 76 in the said G.O. Thus Bondili caste was recognized as a backward class till 1970. Anantharaman Commission did not give any reasons for deleting the said caste from the list of Backward Classes. Under the circumstances in view the fact the Commission found that Bondili caste people are socially and educationally backward even to this day, they are fit to be included in the list of Backward Classes.
Taking into consideration of the relevant facts collected by this Commission at the time of Public hearing, collection of data by the Survey Team, and other relevant facts in due regard to the principles or the criteria laid down in the Mandal Case and the criteria adopted by this Commission ‘Bondili’ Caste is socially and educationally backward as they are inadequately represented in the services of Andhra Pradesh for the purpose of Articles 15 (4) and 16 (4) of the constitution of India and hence they are fit to be included in the list of Backward Classes under Group – D at S. No.40 and this Commission recommends for inclusion of the said caste.
