Tribal Development in India -A Study in Human Development
- 7:16amGujarat, Rajasthan and West Bengal. Socio-Economic Background of Tribal. Population ..... Programmes & Projects Introduced for Tribal Development. Programme ...
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Orissa Review # February-March - 2005
The greatest challenge that the Government of
India has been facing since independence is
the proper provision of social justice to the
scheduled tribe people, by ameliorating their
socio-economic conditions. Scheduled Tribes,
Scheduled Castes and denotified tribes
constitute the weakest section of India's
population, from the ecological, economic and
educational angles. They constitute the matrix
of India's poverty. Though the tribals are the
sons of the same soil and the citizens of the
same country, they born and grow as the
children of the nature. From the historical point
of view, they have been subjected to the worst
type of exploitation social. They are practically
deprived of many civic facilities and isolated
from modern and civilized way of living since
so many centuries.
The British rulers really did something
in providing certain facilities in villages and
towns such as, education, transport,
communication, medical etc. though inadequate
and mainly with self-interest. But it did nothing
for ameliorating the socio-economic conditions
of tribal people, except to the people in North-
East region of the country, because of certain
reasons. Firstly, the British administrators
thought it expedient generally to leave the
tribals alone, as the task of administration in
the hill areas was difficult and costly. Secondly,
Tribal Development in India -A Study in
Human Development
Kulamani Padhi
it was considered desirable to keep away the
tribals from possible political influence from
the world outside world. Thirdly, some of the
British officers genuinely felt that left to
themselves, the tribal people would remain a
happier lot. The Scheduled District Act of 1984
had therefore kept most of these areas
administratively separate, the same situation
was allowed to continue under the Govt. of
India Acts of 1919 and 1935. However, after
independence this policy was abandoned and
new policy of tribal development and
integration was initiated. The Constitution of
India has made definite provisions for the
welfare and uplift of the tribal people
throughout the country.
Tribal Population
There are approximately two hundred
million tribal people in the entire globe, which
means, about 4% of the global population. They
are found in many regions of the world and
majority of them are the poorest amongst poor.
According to 1981 census, the population of
Scheduled Tribes in the country was 5.16
crores, consisting about 7.76% of total Indian
population, which means one tribesman for
every 13 Indians.
Among tribes, there are so many
communities. The major identified tribes in
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Orissa Review # February-March - 2005
country number about the 428 scheduled tribes
in India though the total number of tribal
communities are reported to be 642 and several
of them have become extinct or merged with
other communities as the tendency for fusion
and fission among tribal population is a
continuous process. Thus, if the sub-tribes and
state tribes will be taken into consideration,
the number will be many more. These 428
communities speaking 106 different languages
have been so far notified as the scheduled
tribes in 19 states and 6 union territories. They
have their own socio-cultural and economic
milieu. In fact, the largest concentration of tribal
people, anywhere in the world and except
perhaps Africa is in India. About 50% of the
tribal population of the country is concentrated
in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh,
Jharkhand, Bihar and Orissa. Besides, there is
a sizeable tribal population in Maharastra,
Gujarat, Rajasthan and West Bengal.
Socio-Economic Background of Tribal
Population
1. Total tribal population 15 -16 Crores
2. Workers among Tribal
population
a) Main workers 43.10%
b) Marginal workers 7.61%
c) Non-workers 49.29%
Total: 100.00
3. Literacy
1) General Literacy in the country 36.23%
2) Literacy among ST people 16.35%
4. Classification of Tribal
Population Total Percentage
I. Male population (in lakh) 260.39 50.43
2. Female population (do) 255.90 49.57
Total 516.29 100.00
3. Rural population 93.80%
4. Urban population 6.20%
Total 100.00
5. Land Holdings of Tribal population
I) Marginal and small holdings 62.42%
2) Semi-medium 20.59%
3) Medium 13.58%
4) Large Holdings 3.41%
Total 100.00
Nature and the Scope of the Tribal
Development
Tribals in India, geographically and
culturally, are at widely different stages of
social as well as economic development and
their problems differ from area to area within
their own groups. The tribesman lives not only
for himself alone, but also he is an integral
part of the community to which he belongs. The
identity of interest between the individuals and
the community is real, bearing profoundly on
tribal attitudes. It makes for the emergence of
essentially human qualities like comraderie,
fellow feeling and social awareness. Because
of these reasons, the British adopted the policy
of isolation and tried to keep the tribals away
from the mainstream of Indian life. The
Scheduled District Act of 1874 had kept most
of these areas administratively separate. The
same situation was allowed to continue under
the Government of India Act of 1919 and 1935.
However, after independence, this policy was
abandoned and a new policy of tribal
development and integration was initiated.
The Fundamental Principles of Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru
The fundamental principles laid down
by the first Prime Minister late Jawaharlal
Nehru in this regard became the guiding force.
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Orissa Review # February-March - 2005
These principles are:
1. Tribal people's should develop along the
lines of their own genus and we should avoid
imposing any thing on them. We should try to
encourage in every way, their own traditional
arts and culture.
2. Tribal people rights in land forest should
be respected.
3. We should try to train and build up a team
of their own people to do the work of
administration and development. Some
technical personnel from outside will no doubt
be needed especially in the beginning. But we
should avoid introducing too many outsiders
in to tribal territory and,
4. We should not over administer these
areas or overwhelm them with a multiplicity
of schemes. We should rather work through and
not in rivalry to their own social and cultural
institutions.
The Constitution of India has also made
definite provisions for the welfare and uplift
of the - tribal people throughout the country.
Articles 15 (4) 46, 244 (1) and 339 of the Indian
constitution speak of special provisions meant
for the administration and control of scheduled
areas and tribals therein, for their welfare and
protection.
The policy of the State Govts. towards
the scheduled tribes is governed by the board
directives laid down in the Indian constitution.
It provides that;
"The state shall promote with special
care the educational and economic interest of
the people and in particular of scheduled castes
and scheduled tribes and shall protect them
from social injustices and all forms of
exploitation."
Based on these constitutional provisions,
specific policy for tribal development have
been incorporated in the strategy of economic
development in our Five-Year Plans.
In fact the development of the scheduled
tribes as a social responsibility of the President
of India and the Governors in the state are
responsible for reviewing the administration
as well as the development of Republic India.
It is therefore incumbent of on the
administration, both at the Union as well as in
the states to promote laws and administrative
policies relating to the tribal population, which
belongs to the lowest rank of social order.
The Tribal Development Policies and
Programmes
A review of the tribal situation would
indicate that the strategy for development
would require an intensive approach to the
tribal problems in terms of their geographic
and demographic concentration, if the faster
development of the community is to take place.
The community development efforts in
the tribal areas were therefore, taken up for
supplementation by stating a few special multipurpose
tribal development projects covering
a few blocks in 1954.
A number of commissions and
committees were appointed in the recent past
to look in to the problems of developments in
the tribal areas in the country and they have
recommended a number of measures to remove
the socio-economic imbalances and also to
break down their old psychological barrier,
which existed in the tribal areas. The important
commission and committees appointed so far
are:
1. The Social Welfare Team of the
Committee on plan projects 1959.
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Orissa Review # February-March - 2005
2. The Verrier Elwin Committee on Tribal
Development.
3. The Committee on Tribal Economy in
Forest Areas -1967
4. The Schedules Areas and Scheduled
Tribal Commission (Dhebar Committee
1961)
5. The Special working Group on
Cooperatives for Backward Classes -
1961 (Shri M.D. Bhargava as its
Chairman)
6. The Task Force on Development of
Tribal Areas -1972.
7. The Dube Committee -1972.
8. The Study Team on Co-operative
Structure in Tribal Development Project
Areas -1976.
9. The Study Group on Relief of
Indebtedness Land, Alienation and
Restoration in Development Agency
Area -1973 (Shri P.S Appu as its
Chairman)
10. The team of Marketing, Credit and
Cooperation in Tribal Areas -1978 (Shri
K.S. Bawa Committee)
11. The Working Group on Development of
Scheduled Tribes during the 7th Five
Years Plans (1985- 90)
The Dhobar Commission (1961)
recommended an integrated approach based on
the minimum essential items like food, drinking
water, employment, educational health and
village road.
The task force on Development of Tribal
Areas constituted in 1972 suggested that the
ecological, occupational and social
preemptors. of the tribal population should be
properly assessed for formulation of a policy
and its implementation so that a steady flow of
benefits could be assured to the tribal people.
The Dupe committee in 1972 tried to define a
new strategy for tribal development and
suggested that the problem of tribal
development should be defined at the national
level and national efforts required for tackling
it, worked out. It also suggested an integrated
area development approach in consonance with
the genius and aspirations of the tribal people.
Tribal Development Under the Planned Era
The special programmes for Tribal
development have been implemented in our
country to benefit the tribal population under
backward classes sector from First Five Year
Plan.
First Five Year Plan
First Five Year Plan did not play any
specific and special attention towards the
development of tribal areas, because only
certain piecemeal attempts such as educational
schemes, welfare schemes etc. were
introduced. These schemes left the concrete
impact on tribal community in the country .
Second Five Year Plan
During the second Five Years Plan,
recognizing the Socio-economic conditions,
prevailing in the tribal areas, concrete
developmental schemes were planned. A novel
administration system was introduced, with
creation of "Multi-purpose Tribal Projects in
certain selected Tribal Areas".
Third Five Year Plan
On the recommendation of the Verrier
Elevin Committee, Tribal Development Block
System had been implemented under Third Five
Year Plan. This system was evolved not only
to improve the conditions in the tribal areas,
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Orissa Review # February-March - 2005
but also to involve the tribal "people in the
process of development with the aid of
Punchayat Institutions. These schemes and
sector plans, which were adopted as the
institutions of planned development, resulting
in tanning up of tribal economy and
improvement of social-service to a certain
extent, but it was found that certain regions and
groups in tribal areas still remained very
backward while others recorded a slow rate
of progress.
Fourth Five Year Plan
On the eve of the commencement of
Fourth Five Year Plan 489 Tribal Development
Blocks had come in to existence for the
economic betterment of the scheduled tribes
and intensive development areas with large
concentration of tribal populations. In this
connection the fourth plan envisaged extension
of these blocks from 10 to 15 Years and
introduction of stage III with an allotment of
Rs.10 lakhs per Blocks for Five Year period.
About Rs.75 crores were spent by the Union
Govt. for the implementation of Tribal
Development programmes during the fourth
Five Year Plan period. A number of new
programmes were also introduced, besides
intensifying programmes, which were already
popular. Land colonization schemes were
started and several Tribal colonies were
established. Cooperative. Farming Societies
had been introduced and a number of
concessions were offered to the tribal people
by Forest excises. Revenue Departments and
other departments in their respective field
though District Level Planning were envisaged
during this plan, but they could not take
concrete shape, as actual planning was not done
at the grass root level. Sectoral planning with
schematic budget was also introduced during
this planned period.
Fifth Five Year Plan
In view of the weaknesses of the earlier
area based programme viz. Tribal development
Blocks and Tribal Development Agencies a
new strategy was evolved in the fifth five year
plan for the foundation of sub plan for the areas
of tribal concentration. This is intended to
achieve an intensity of attention to the tribal
areas and devise measures to suite their local
ethos. About 2/3 of tribal population in the
country is estimated to be covered by the subplans
as were in operation in the Fifth plan.
In our country, the problem of Tribal was
broadly classified into two categories (1) Areas
of Tribal concentration and (2) Dispersed
Tribes. In respect of the farmer, it was decided
to accept an area development approach with
focus on tribals, for dispersed tribals, family
oriented programmes were taken up. The tribal
sub-plan includes all scheduled areas and
Tehsils/Blocks, with more than 50% Tribal
population. Substantial tribal population was
covered under sub-plan according to these
formulations. Bihar 72%, Orissa 68%,
Himachal Pradesh 9%, Gujarat 59%, Madhya
Pradesh 75%, Manipur 94%, Goa, Diu, Daman
100%, Nagaland and Nagar Haveli 99% and
Rajasthan 44%.
In other States, where the tribal
population was more dispersed these norms
were relaxed with a view to covering a
reasonable proportion of tribal population.
Tribal sub-plan areas under the relaxed norms
were delineated in A.P, Orissa, Karnataka,
Kerala, Maharastra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal
and Uttar Pradesh.
For operational purposes, the Tribal
sub-plan areas have been organized in 178
Tribal Development Projects during Fifth Plan.
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Orissa Review # February-March - 2005
It is the level at which the entire development
efforts have been integrated.
The financial investment flows from four
important sources in Tribal sub-plans from the
sources viz. (1) outlays from the State
Governments plan, (2) Sectoral outlays from
Central Ministries / Departments,
(3) Institutional Finance and (4) Special
Central Assistance. Over one thousand crores
of rupees had been spent in the tribal sub-plan
areas during Fifth plan period. In 16 States and
2 Union Territories, Tribal sub-plans were
implemented and over 65 percent total tribal
population in the country non-covered during
this plan.
Sixth Plan
In the Sixth Five Year Plan, it was noticed
that certain pockets of tribal concentration
outside the tribal sub-plan area were still left
out of the tribal sub-plan strategy .It was
therefore decided during the Sixth Plan that
pockets of centre groups villages / pockets
having a minimum of 10,000 tribal population
of which at least 50 percent are scheduled
tribes, should be carved for intensive integrated
development and Modified Area Development
Approach, (MADA) under the Tribal sub-plan.
A definite target of 50% of the scheduled tribal
families to cross the poverty line was adopted
during the Sixth Plan for the first time. By and
large, the target set for the Sixth Plan have been
achieved. Against the target of 4.70 million
scheduled tribal families to be brought above
the poverty line, it was estimated by the end of
1984-85,3.45 million scheduled tribal families
have been assisted.
Numbering 13.95 lakhs have been taken
up for the development through projected
approach.
In order to ensure cent coverage of tribal
under the ISP approach, it has been decided
since 1986-87 to include.
Plan Outlay and Expenditure for Tribal
Development Programme in India
(Rs. In Crores)
Sr. Plan Total Plan Total Development %
Period No. Outlay Programme
1. First Plan*
(1951-56) 1,960 19.93 1.00
2. Second Plan*
(1956-61) 4,672 42.92 0.60
3. Third Plan*
(1961-66) 8,577 50.53 0.60
4. Annual Plan*
(1966-69) 6,756 32.32 0.50
5. Fourth Plan**
(1974-79) 15,902 75.00 0.50
6. Fifth Plan** 39,322 1,182.00 3.01
(1974-79)
7. Sixth Plan**
(1980-85) 97,500 5,535.00 5.67
8. Seventh Plan**
(1985-90) 1,80,000 12,000.00 6.67
Note: * Expenditure ** Outlay
Source: Ministry of Home Affairs -Occasional papers on tribal
Development -1966 p.l, 19 -20.
During the plan period, 2 lakh hectares
of tribal households were under soil
conservation, 9000 tribal villagers were
electrified and more than 80000 villages were
provided with drinking water supply. The state
of Sikkim was added during this period. 245
MADA pockets of tribal concentration were
identified during this period. By the end of the
forty years of Sixth plan, 181 of IFDPS, 245
MADA pockets and 72 primitive tribal
projects were in operation in the country. The
coverage of tribal population during this plan
reached 75 percent as against 65% in Fourth
plan.
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Orissa Review # February-March - 2005
Seventh Plan
In the Seventh Plan the objective remains
to be indicious mix of area-cum-family
development. Simultaneously paying attention
to the vulnerable section amongst the scheduled
tribes it can easily be ascertained that their
resources base mainly on environmental
devastation. For the Seventh Plan period
(1985-90), about 40 lakhs scheduled tribe
families below the poverty line are targeted to
be provided economic assistance. In this plan,
3 new ITDPs have been added in Sikkim, by
scheduled tribe population concentration norms
as a special case and by the end of 1987 -88,
total of 184 ITDPs are functioning. ITDPs areas
covered 313.21 lakh tribal population.
To improve the tribal coverage under the
tribal sub-plan approach, 285 having a
minimum 10,000 population with 50 percent
or more tribal population have been identified,
covering a population of 50.53 lakhs. In
addition about 73 primitive tribes dispersed
tribals under the "approach, while identifying
their castes wherever possible, 47 clusters,
each with a total population of 5000 with 50%,
or more tribal concentration there have been
identified so far. Among the important
contributions of the Tribal Sub-plan strategy
over a period of years in our country has been
the gradual evaluation of the concept of family
oriented programmes for eradication of poverty
in the tribal areas.
Programmes & Projects Introduced for Tribal Development
Programme Description
1. Guarantee for the projection of the Tribals. Article- 15 (4) 46,244,339 speak of special
provisions meant for the administration and
control of scheduled areas and tribals for their
welfare and protection for promoting the
welfare of the ST and for raising the level of
admn. of - ST and tribal areas to the state
level.
2. Grant-in-aid from consolidated fund of Article -275 provides grant-in-aid
India to States (Article 275) from consolidated fund of India to States.
3. Special Multi-purpose Tribal Projects in For the tribals for their intensive
selected areas. Development.
4. Tribal Development
5. Training-cum-production Centres & Development of Cottage and Small
Subsidies. Scale Industries to provide employment.
6. Colonization of tribals Tribal Colonies
7. Establishment of Coop. Farming Societies. To make farming more economic and
profitable.
8. Introduction of Improved methods of
shifting cultivation. Without doing harm to the soil.
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Orissa Review # February-March - 2005
9. Education Facilities Scholarship, Free Shift, etc.
10. Concessions Concessions were offered by Forest, Revenue,
Excise Departments, etc.
11. Establishment tribal cultural institutes. To study various cultural problems.
12. Job opportunity Reservation of posts in Govt. Service.
13. Cheaper Credit Enactment of Regulation Acts to counteract
exorbitant rates of interest of money lenders.
14. Establishment of offices of the For the enforcement of the safeguards
Commissioner for SC/ST industries. provided for the tribals in the constitution for
the evaluation of welfare schemes.
15. Establishment of LAMPS For providing integrated services such as
credit, marketing, storage, distribution of
consumer goods, etc., to the members.
16. Tribal Development Cooperative Established at the state level to help the
Corporation / Tribal Development LAMP.
Cooperative Federation.
17. Tribal Development Cooperative Established at National level to help
Marketing Federation (TRIFED) the state level tribal Corporations/Federation.
Kulamani Padhi is presently working as the Asst.
Registrar, (Dairy Co-ops) in Directorate of Animal
Husbandry & Veterinary Services, Orissa, Cuttack-1.
Shri Naveen Patnaik, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Orissa inaugurating the MICRO Economics
Summit-2005 at Unit-1 High School Ground, Bhubaneswar on 4.2.2005.
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