INTER DISTRICT VARIATION IN QUALITY OF LIFE OF SCHEDULED TRIBES IN TAMIL NADU - AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS.

The quality of life is the degree to which the experience of an individual's life satisfies individual’s wants and needs (both physical and psychological). Much of the debate about how quality of life should be defined has centred on subjective versus objective approaches. Physical quality of life index is a measure of performance in meeting the basic needs of population that lends itself well to international comparisons. In this context a research study on “Inter District variation in quality of life of scheduled tribes in Tamil Nadu – An empirical analysis was formulated with the objectives of computing quality of life index for scheduled tribes in different Districts of Tamil Nadu, find out the extent of variation in different components of quality of life of scheduled tribes in different Districts of Tamil Nadu and identifying the factors causing inter district variation in quality of life of scheduled tribes in Tamil Nadu. The study is related to 30 districts in Tamil Nadu the required data were compiled from. Statistical Hand Book of Tamil Nadu (2010), Report of State Planning Commission; Government of Tamil Nadu (2007), District Level Estimates Infant and Child Mortality (2001) and Selected educational statistics, various issues - Ministry of Human Resource Development. Following the method adopted by K.R. Gupta (2011) for measuring development, the current study tried to estimate life expectancy index at age1, infant mortality index, literacy index and finally the quality of life index. The study estimated Gini co efficient ratio and applied factor analysis. The study found that the literacy rate was the highest in Chennai (75 percent) and lowest in Ramanathapuram (21 percent). The enrolment index was the highest in Nilgiris (49 percent) and lowest in Kanniyakumari (7 percent). The life expectancy index was the highest in Chennai (1.16 percent) and lowest in Virudunagar (0.84 percent). The estimated infant mortality index was found to be the highest in Kanniyakumari (0.93) and lowest in Theni (0.75). The quality of life index was the highest in Chennai (0.85 percent) and lowest in Theni (0.63 percent). The estimated Gini co efficient ratio was the highest for net irrigated area (0.99).The application of factor analysis reviled that the significant factors causing inter district variations in the quality of life were rain fall, net area irrigated and food grains production. To improve quality of life of the scheduled tribes population the study recommended expansions of educational facilities, increasing the number of primary health centres and also improving the health status of the population.