Abstract

The terms Poverty and Development have many nuances in the contemporary societies of the world. Development implies improved means of lives and livelihoods, improved quality of life and better access to assets and services, etc. But it may have consequences in some other areas where people do not have a square meal a day and face the scarcity of resources and opportunities, which imply the negative effect of development, which may considered as poverty. So it is like a doubleedged sword and we must handle it with care. Thus Development has both positive and negative implications on society and people. The present paper bases its arguments from the field data collected during 2003-2006 as part of the researcher project in the area. It examines the sociocultural and economic development processes of Sugalis, once considered as a nomadic tribe, inhabited in Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh. It also explains the poverty in the settlement and also focuses on the type of change that they