TRIBAL AREA DEVELOPMENT
Published on 23 Feb 2025
As per the Census 2011, the tribal population constitutes about 8.9% of the total population in India. Tribal communities in India primarily reside in geographically isolated and often challenging terrains. This includes:
Forest Areas:
Central India (Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha): Gond, Bhil, Santal, Munda
Western Ghats (Maharashtra, Kerala): Bhil, Warli, Toda, Paniya
Northeast India (Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland): Adi, Naga, Mizo, Kuki
Hills and Mountains:
Aravalli Hills (Rajasthan): Bhils, Garasias
Eastern Ghats (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana): Konda Reddy, Gadaba, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PTGs) like Koyas
Himalayan foothills (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand): Jaunsar-Bawar, Gujjar, Bhotia
Islands:
Andaman & Nicobar Islands: Jarawa, Sentinelese, Onge (These communities face unique challenges due to their isolation and vulnerability to outside contact)
Importance and the Need to protect Tribal areas of India
Cultural Treasures: Home to diverse communities with unique languages, traditions, and knowledge systems
Example: The Dongria Kondh tribe of Odisha practices intricate tattooing and beadwork, reflecting their cultural identity and social status.
Biodiversity Guardians: Tribal practices often contribute to sustainable forest management and ecological balance.
Example: The Gaddi shepherds of Himachal Pradesh use transhumance, a seasonal migration of livestock, which prevents overgrazing and promotes pasture regeneration
Economic Potential: Tribal areas hold resources like medicinal plants and handicrafts with economic potential.
Example: The Baiga tribe of Madhya Pradesh collects and processes non-timber forest products like tendu leaves (used for wrapping beedis) generating income while preserving the forest ecosystem.
Social Diversity: Enrich India's social fabric, fostering inclusivity and cultural richness.
Example: The Paniyar tribe of Kerala, residing in the Western Ghats, practices a unique matrilineal society where women hold significant social and economic power.
Environmental Knowledge: Tribal communities possess generations-old knowledge of sustainable resource use.
Example: The Sentinelese tribe of the Andamans practice sustainable fishing techniques, using arrows and harpoons to avoid overfishing and maintain the health of their marine resources.
Challenges pertaining to Tribal areas of India
Limited Infrastructure: Remote locations often lack proper roads, schools, healthcare facilities, and connectivity, hindering development and access to basic services.
Resource Depletion: Unsustainable practices and encroachment by outsiders threaten tribal livelihoods and traditional resource management systems, leading to environmental degradation.
Displacement and Exploitation: Development projects and resource extraction can displace communities from their ancestral lands and make them vulnerable to exploitation, disrupting their way of life.
Limited Access to Education and Healthcare: Lower literacy rates and limited access to healthcare facilities contribute to a lower quality of life and hinder upward mobility.
Loss of Cultural Identity: Globalization and outside influences can lead to the erosion of traditional customs, languages, and knowledge systems.
Measures to protect the Tribal Areas
Legal Safeguards: Constitutional provisions ensure tribal land rights and development in designated areas.
Example: The Fifth Schedule of the Constitution creates Scheduled Areas (e.g., Aravalli Hills) with special provisions for tribal development and land rights.
Example: The Forest Rights Act recognizes tribal rights to traditionally used forests (e.g., Northeast India) promoting conservation and empowering communities.
Biodiversity Conservation: Protected areas and community involvement help conserve biodiversity and tribal communities.
Example: Protected areas like Kaziranga National Park (Assam) indirectly safeguard tribal communities residing within, like the Mishing tribe.
Example: Community Forest Management programs (Himachal Pradesh) involve tribes in protecting forests (e.g., Gaddi shepherds) for mutual benefit.
Sustainable Development: Economic opportunities balanced with environmental responsibility can benefit tribal communities.
Example: Remote locations like the Thar Desert (Rajasthan) can be developed with renewable energy sources and sustainable infrastructure, benefiting the Bhils and other desert communities.
Sacred Groves: Community-protected areas preserve biodiversity and traditional knowledge.
Example: Sacred groves in Meghalaya, protected by Khasi communities, preserve traditional ecological knowledge, restricting resource extraction and promoting sustainable practices.
Community Conserved Areas (CCAs): Collaborative management fosters habitat restoration, sustainable tourism, and livelihood development.
Example: Aravalli Biodiversity Park (Rajasthan) co-managed by the government and Bhil communities, promotes habitat restoration, sustainable tourism, and livelihoods for locals.
Indigenous Territorial Rights: Recognizing ancestral lands protects tribal communities and their way of life.
Example: The Dongria Kondh tribe of Niyamgiri Hills (Odisha) successfully resisted mining projects in their ancestral land.
Coastal and Marine Protection: Restricted access zones and sustainable practices ensure the well-being of both communities and ecosystems.
Example: Sentinelese tribe (Andaman & Nicobar Islands focus on sustainable fishing practices in surrounding areas helps protect their way of life and the marine ecosystem.