Tribal communities (8.6% of India’s population, Census 2011) live in resource-rich but economically poor regions. Post-independence, much of India’s developmental trajectory has led to tribal displacement, making rehabilitation the dominant state response.

Tribal Development in India: Displacement and Rehabilitation

Displacement

• Large Dams & Irrigation Projects – Submergence of tribal villages. Eg– Sardar Sarovar Dam displaced ~40,000 families in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra.
• Mining & Industrial Projects – Resource-rich tribal belts face land alienation. Eg– Niyamgiri Hills mining (Odisha) threatened Dongria Kondhs; coal mining in Chhattisgarh displaced Gond tribals.
• Wildlife & Conservation Policies – Eviction from forests under protected areas. Eg– Tiger Reserves like Kanha, Simlipal, Nagarhole forced relocation of tribal hamlets.
• Urban Expansion & Infrastructure – Highways, SEZs, power plants displace tribal settlements. Eg– POSCO steel project (Odisha) displaced betel farmers, many from tribal backgrounds.
• Environmental Projects – Afforestation under CAMPA led to occupation of FRA land. Eg– Chhattisgarh protests (2021) against afforestation on tribal cultivable land.

Rehabilitation

• Compensation Packages – Land-for-land or cash payments. Eg– Narmada Rehabilitation Policy promised land to displaced families (though implementation was uneven).
• National Rehabilitation & Resettlement Policy (2007) – Guidelines for humane resettlement, skill training, housing, and livelihood restoration.
• Forest Rights Act (2006) – Recognition of individual and community rights over forest land. Eg– Dongria Kondhs protected rights against Vedanta mining in Niyamgiri.
• Livelihood Support – Skill-building, agricultural land allocation, and jobs in development projects. Eg– Coal India’s policy of providing employment to one family member of displaced.
• Social Infrastructure – Resettlement colonies with housing, schools, healthcare. Eg– Resettlement under R&R for Tehri Dam included townships with basic amenities.

Beyond Displacement and Rehabilitation: Towards Empowerment

1. Guiding Philosophy: Nehru’s Tribal Panchsheel Policy – Principles included: respect for tribal culture, development along tribal genius, training in self-governance, not over-administering, and building confidence in tribals.
2. Constitutional Safeguards – Fifth & Sixth Schedules provide self-governance, autonomy in tribal regions.
3. Legal Empowerment
   • PESA Act, 1996 empowers Gram Sabhas in Scheduled Areas to decide on resources and projects.
   • Forest Rights Act, 2006 secures land and community forest rights.
   • Eg– Dongria Kondhs’ Gram Sabha vetoed Vedanta’s mining project in Niyamgiri Hills (2013).
4. Socio-Economic Development Schemes – Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana, TRIFED for minor forest produce, Eklavya Model Residential Schools for education.
5. Cultural Preservation- Eg– Warli painting (Maharashtra), Gond art (Madhya Pradesh) supported under TRIFED.
6. Health & Nutrition Focus – Eg– Poshan Abhiyaan with special focus on tribal districts.
7. Political Representation – Eg– ST reservation in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies; 50% seats in some Panchayats reserved for women, including tribal women.

Way Forward

1. Livelihood Diversification – Promote eco-friendly livelihoods such as bamboo, lac, honey, eco-tourism, minor forest produce with MSP and market linkages through TRIFED.
2. Inclusive Development Planning – Institutionalize Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in all projects affecting tribal areas, ensuring genuine participation.
3. Climate & Resilience Building – Make tribal communities partners in afforestation, watershed management, and renewable energy projects, linking them with green jobs.
4. Cultural Tourism Corridors – Develop tribal heritage circuits (like Bastar, Nagaland, Meghalaya) to generate revenue while preserving identity.
5. Xaxa Committee on Tribal Development (2014) – Recommended protection against alienation, better health and education delivery, and promotion of tribal languages in schooling.
6. N.C. Saxena Committee on Forest Rights Act (2010) – Recommended simplified claim verification, community forest management, and avoiding forced evictions.

Tribal development in India must move from a “reactive approach of rehabilitation” to a “proactive model of empowerment”. As Verrier Elwin argued, true tribal development means protecting roots while expanding wings.