Is the fad of owning a cell phone producing tribal youth dropouts in schools and colleges? Though no study has been done on this, observers say the youth drop out after SSC to work and save money to buy a phone.
Owning a mobile phone appears to bridge the gap between backwardness and modernity for tribal youth. And, getting employed as labourers, is the only source for poor Raj Gond and Kolam tribes.
“Yes, this is true,” said Madavi Lacchu, a Raj Gond SSC dropout from Utnoor in Adilabad district who works as a labourer in Hyderabad. “I know of at least 10 boys from our district who came here to work and save money to buy a good cell phone,” he pointed out.
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Music is in the blood of the ethnic people and the cell phone comes in handy to listen to it and even watch videos of film songs. It allows them the freedom of mobility while enjoying music.
“We use cell phones to listen to music,” said Athram Raju, a Kolam youth from Lendiguda in Jainoor who is a field assistant in MGNREGS and owns a low cost smartphone. “We spend Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 5,000 to get one,” he said.