DISCUSSION

The Future of Tribals in Telangana State

T Prabhakara Reddy

This response to A Separate Telangana: Promises and Prospects for Tribal People by R Ramdas (20 July 2013) looks at the Andhra Pradesh governments initiatives for tribals, as well as their future in the new state to be, Telangana.

T Prabhakara Reddy (tprabha9@gmail.com) is an independent researcher at the Satavahana Development Society, Hyderabad.

his is with reference to a note A Separate Telangana: Promises and Prospects for Tribal People by R Ramdas (EPW, 20 July 2013). I would like to spell out the following aspects. While agreeing with Ramdas that the tribals are experiencing land and social alienation, it is worth mentioning the governments initiatives like the promotion of education and employment and other benets through the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) and other programmes, which are exclusively created for the welfare of the tribals. Despite the achievements made so far, constituting around 7% (as per Census 2011) of the total population of Andhra Pradesh (AP), 35 communities ofcially designated as scheduled tribes (STs) are the most underprivileged sections of the society when compared to other social groups in the state (Satavahana Development Society 2012). It was argued in a recent study that the intensity of poverty is much more serious among tribals than among the scheduled castes (SCs), and they are twice as much alienated. According to the 66th round of the National Sample Survey Ofce (NSSO 2010), a majority of STs received job cards and availed employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) compared to all other social groups. It was also reported that the work participation rate, for males and females, according to usual status by STs is the highest compared to all other social groups. As regards their education, the percentage of ST students who completed 10th and 12th class is 27% and 14%, respectively. It shows that they are lagging behind educationally and economically in society. About 40% of ST households do not have any household goods, while 55% do not have bank accounts, although they are working under the MGNREGS.

Therefore, it is important to mention that the Smart Card Initiative of the AP government on an experimental basis is striving towards total nancial inclusion wherein the job card holders are issued these cards. As a result, the marginalised sections, especially tribals, are given smart cards, which are in turn used not only for banking transactions, but they are receiving wage payments under the MGNREGS, as well as pensions and scholarships. In fact, a majority of tribals lack basic necessities and live in pitiable conditions, with an exception of one or two tribal communities that are relatively well off and performing better. Although there has been considerable increase in the fund allocation for tribal areas, most of the tribals were not able to draw the benets due to large-scale corruption among ofcials and improper implementation of tribal development schemes. Besides, a majority of tribal areas lack proper communication and infrastructure facilities. Therefore, any attempt by the government that tries to enhance their socioeconomic condition has to focus primarily on primitive tribes and the poorest of the poor among the STs, with awareness generation and the peoples participation approach, and take into account their needs, feelings and aspirations while the development process is taken up. Land Alienation It is a fact that land alienation continues unabated in tribal areas in different forms despite the fact that there is an adequate number of Acts in existence (Reddy 1989). The number of litigations that are pending and the acres of land involved in cases reveal that the incidence of land alienation in AP is substantial. The Ministry of Rural Development of the Government of India in its 2007-08 Annual Report states
Reports received from various States, indicate that 5.06 lakh cases of tribal land alienation have been registered, covering 9.02 lakh acres of land, of which 2.25 lakh cases have been disposed off in favour of tribals covering a total area of 5.00 lakh acres. 1.99 lakh cases covering an area of 4.11 lakh acres have been rejected by the Courts on various grounds (MoRD 2008).
vol xlix no 4
EPW Economic & Political Weekly

76

January 25, 2014

DISCUSSION

Despite stringent provisions under the Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Areas Land Transfer Regulation, 1959 (APSALTR) to protect the lands of the tribals in the Scheduled Areas, the tribals are facing land alienation. In fact, the extent of the problem is such that, at present, nontribals hold as much as 48% of the land in the Scheduled Areas of the state. Since the APSALTR came into effect in 1959, 72,001 cases of land alienation have been led, involving 3,21,685 acres of land in the state. Further, the tribals are losing the legal battle to recover their lands. Of the 72,001 cases registered under the APSALTR, 70,183 cases were disposed off and 33,319 cases (47.5%) were decided against the tribals, involving 1,62,989 acres of land. As of January 2007, about 300 cases were pending in the AP High Court involving about 2,500 acres of land under the APSALTR, 1959. However, it appears from the above data that the tribals are losing their land in legal disputes, and, therefore, there is a need to prevent the land transfers by implementing the existing laws in letter and spirit, and provide legal help to the tribals to protect their interests in restoring their land. Nevertheless, it has been established that the sheer lack of education and awareness among tribals is the root cause for the exploitation of tribals by non-tribals and upper castes. Status of Tribals As regards their status, by and large, a sizeable number of tribals (47%) are groaning under poverty and their living standard is minimal, except the Lambadas who relatively enjoyed the lions share of benets from state assistance. Besides, the fact that a majority of primitive tribes such as Bodo Gadaba, Gutob Gadaba, Bondo Poraja, Khond Poroja, Parangiperja, Chenchu, Dongaria Khond, Kuttiya Khond, Kolam, Kondareddi, Konda Savara, and Thoti did not get benets under united AP (Reddy and Kumar 2010) is a classic example to argue that the new and smaller state is going to address their issues in a focused manner as the administration comes closer to them. For instance, the tribals in Jharkhand state are enjoying the benets of development in terms of government programmes
Economic & Political Weekly EPW

and schemes, a result of having a separate state, which they never experienced under united Bihar. Hence, there is an argument that there is a growing need felt among tribals for creation of a separate state, in which tribals would benet based on their population proportion and socio-economic backwardness. Against this background, it is important to mention that the initiative of the AP government, i e, the SC, ST Sub-Plan with an allocation of Rs 21,000 crore (GoAP 2013) that has been introduced recently, if implemented properly, would benet the tribals immensely. The Future of Tribals The lives of tribals in a new state would denitely be better than what it is today, as governance would improve in any small state. There is a group of people who are working on it, as to how to mainstream the tribals in a new state towards development, working towards a blueprint that would emphasise social inclusion and benet the tribals ultimately. Further, the people in the forefront of the movement for a separate Telangana have agreed to continuing the Sub-Plan approach and designing a new policy of autonomous councils for the welfare of STs in the new state. In fact, the movement for a separate Telangana has seen their active participation and one can easily make out their presence. There are tribal leaders who have been actively involved in the separate Telangana movement, and are in the forefront ghting for a cause. Hence, it is unimportant to have doubts about their development and welfare in a smaller state, which, in fact, is going to be carved out for ensuring their social inclusion. The Road Map At the outset, it would be a high priority for the new state, i e, Telangana, to push for the formation of autonomous councils for tribals with a view to ensuring selfrule and self-sufciency in terms of their livelihoods, and the provision of special funds to these areas for development. Further, the reconstruction of the village economy will focus on natural resource management, more importantly, rejuvenating the tanks, water bodies,
vol xlix no 4

water harvesting structures, encouraging the practice of cultivating organic farming and growing different millets and crops, promoting occupations of craftsmen and opportunities for labourers in the vicinity, protecting the forests, streams and rivers, and, thus, nally building livelihood blocks through indigenous methods so that sustainable livelihood development is achieved among the tribal community in the new state. Secondly, achieving inclusive growth by ensuring social inclusion and providing better administration at their doorstep is quite possible in a smaller state as there would be close interaction between the tribals and the government. Finally, mainstreaming of tribals in the development process by earmarking some funding in all the line departments budgets, implementation of different programmes in a focused manner and ensuring their participation in fullest form will be the rst priority in the new state of Telangana. As a result, the tribals in the new state will have better recognition and a better place in the development trajectory, while protecting their culture, customs and promoting their socio-economic status in a mission-mode approach.
References
GoAP (2013): SC, ST Sub Plan, 2013-14, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad. MoRD (2008): Annual Report, 2007-08, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, New Delhi. NSSO (2010): Report of 66th Round, 2009-10, National Sample Survey Ofce, Government of India, New Delhi. Reddy, T Prabhakar (1989): Tribal Land Alienation in Andhra Pradesh, Economic & Political Weekly, 24(28): 1571-73. Reddy, M Gopinath and K Anil Kumar (2010): Political Economy of Tribal Development: A Case Study of Andhra Pradesh, February, Working Paper No 85, Centre for Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad. Satavahana Development Society (2012): SocioEconomic Status of STs and SCs in Andhra Pradesh: A Policy Report, Satavahana Development Society, Hyderabad.

available at

Khan News Agency

Residency Road Opp Shakti Sweets Srinagar 190 001 Jammu and Kashmir Ph: 9906787325
77

January 25, 2014