Tribal development has historically unfolded alongside resource extraction, conservation, and infrastructure expansion, resulting in more focus on displacement and rehabilitation.
Axes of displacement and rehabilitation in tribal development
STs constitute only 8.6% of the population but have comprised an estimated 40-55% of all persons displaced by “developmental” projects
Mining in Tribal Belts – Eg- displacement of Gonds from Hasdeo Arand forest (2025-26) due to coal block allocations.
Large Dams and Irrigation Projects – Eg- Sardar Sarovar Project displacing over 40000 families of Bhil and Gond communities.
Hydropower Projects in Himalayas and North-East Eg- Subansiri and Dibang projects (Arunachal Pradesh).
Wildlife Conservation and Protected Areas – Eg- Relocation of Baiga tribe from Kanha Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh).
Conflict-Induced Displacement- Eg- The Gutti Koya (Muria Gond) families fled Chhattisgarh during the Salwa Judum era
Eco-Sensitive Zones – Restrictions on habitation and livelihoods.
Urban and Industrial Expansion – Eg- Displacement of tribal settlements around Raipur and Ranchi due to industrial corridors.
Focus on Compensation-Based (Cash-centric) Rehabilitation without livelihood restoration.
Inadequate Cultural Rehabilitation – Loss of social and cultural ecosystems. Eg- sacred groves
The “Rehabilitation Backlog”- Eg- less than 50% of those displaced by the Hirakud Dam (1950s) have been fully settled with land titles.
Counter argument – other aspects of tribal development
Political Representation and Voice – Eg- Reserved ST constituencies in legislatures.
Rights-Based Development Framework – Eg- Forest Rights Act, 2006 granting individual and community forest rights.
Self-Governance and Autonomy – Eg- PESA Act mandating Gram Sabha consent in Scheduled Areas.
Livelihood-Centred Development – Eg- Minor Forest Produce (MFP) MSP scheme supporting tribal incomes.
Human Development Interventions – Eg- Eklavya Model Residential Schools for tribal education.
Cultural Preservation and Identity – Eg- Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) – to create digital knowledge repository
Targeted Welfare and Livelihood Schemes – Eg- Van Dhan Vikas Kendras for value addition to forest produce.
Gender-Sensitive Tribal Development – Eg- SHGs among tribal women under NRLM.
Targeted Development schemes – Eg- PM-JANMAN Mission for development of 75 PVTGs
Way Forward
Effective Implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006
Digitizing land records
Setting up fast-track FRA tribunals
Involving local Gram Sabhas in claim verification
Strict implementation of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act, 2013 to prevent forced evictions.
Revamping Tribal Healthcare through Mobile Health Units and AYUSH Integration
Linking SHGs with One District One Product (ODOP) initiative for market access to tribal handicrafts.
Tribal development must transition from “rehabilitation-centric” to “rights-centric”, treating tribal communities not as beneficiaries of charity, but as custodians of nature and partners in national growth.