Model Answer
0 min readIntroduction
Tribal development in India is intrinsically linked to the conflicts arising from resource exploitation and large-scale development projects, making displacement and rehabilitation critical focal points. Constituting about 8.6% of the population, Scheduled Tribes (STs) disproportionately bear the burden of 'development', with an estimated 40% of all displaced persons being tribal communities due to their habitation in resource-rich areas. While the loss of ancestral land due to projects like dams and mines makes displacement the most visible and immediate crisis, framing the *entirety* of tribal development around these two axes is a narrow and incomplete assessment. My opinion is that while displacement and rehabilitation are **central challenges**, they cannot be the **sole centres** of a holistic tribal development agenda.
Centrality of Displacement and Rehabilitation
Displacement, often induced by development projects like dams, mining, and infrastructure, is undeniably a defining feature of the tribal experience since Independence. The failure of rehabilitation has historically exacerbated tribal distress.- Legal Framework: The challenges are underscored by specific legislation like The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (RFCTLARR Act, 2013), which mandates comprehensive R&R, acknowledging the severity of the issue.
- Scale of Impact: Around 50 million people have been displaced due to development projects over 50 years in India, with tribals being a significant portion. The loss of land severs their spiritual, cultural, and economic foundation.
- Failure of R&R: Instances like the ongoing issues post-Hirakud Dam displacement highlight that even with legal mandates, rehabilitation often fails to restore livelihoods, leading to marginalization and transformation into daily wage labourers.
Why Development Must Go Beyond These Axes
True tribal development requires addressing the deeper, systemic issues that persist even for non-displaced or supposedly rehabilitated populations.Beyond Physical Relocation
Development must address the core elements of tribal life that are eroded by developmentalism, irrespective of physical displacement:- Cultural and Identity Preservation: Displacement leads to cultural disintegration, loss of language, and social fragmentation. Development must focus on cultural continuity, not just housing reconstruction.
- Governance and Autonomy: The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996, grants Gram Sabhas power over land acquisition and development projects. Effective tribal development hinges on the actual implementation of this self-governance, which is independent of displacement events.
- Socio-Economic Indicators: Systemic neglect results in poor education, health, and high poverty rates, as seen in low literacy and high malnutrition in tribal areas. Schemes like Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) aim to tackle these structural deficits directly.
Opinion Synthesis
Displacement and inadequate rehabilitation are **symptoms** of a flawed, top-down development model that prioritizes resource extraction over tribal rights. Therefore, they rightly form the **most urgent axis of crisis management**. However, holistic **development** must be centred on:- Rights-Based Approach: Full implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, to secure customary rights.
- Sustainable Livelihoods: Promoting eco-tourism and agro-forestry (In-Situ Development).
- Empowerment: Ensuring political participation and effective Gram Sabha functioning under PESA.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while displacement and rehabilitation represent the most acute and visible failures in the historical engagement between the Indian State and tribal communities, they do not encapsulate the entire spectrum of tribal development. A truly comprehensive approach must treat displacement as a critical *problem to be minimized*, while simultaneously focusing on structural empowerment through governance (PESA), cultural preservation, and improving core social indicators (health, education) for all tribal populations, irrespective of project-affected status. Sustainable tribal development requires shifting from a displacement-driven paradigm to a rights-based, participatory one.
Answer Length
This is a comprehensive model answer for learning purposes and may exceed the word limit. In the exam, always adhere to the prescribed word count.