Tribes in India

• A tribe is a social division of a traditional society composed of households connected by common culture, dialect, social, financial, religious, or blood connections.
• Tribes possess unique cultural, social, and political characteristics that make them distinct entities.
• Race refers to biological variations in physical appearance, such as skin shading, eye shading, facial structure, and hair shading, due to geographical diversity.
• Ethnicity refers to cultural factors, including nationality, regional culture, ancestry, and language, and implies shared cultural traits, linguistic or religious traits, and shared group history.
• India has one of the largest and most diverse tribal populations in the world, with 104 million or 8.6% of the total population according to the 2011 census.
• Madhya Pradesh has the largest tribal population (15.3 million or 21% of the total population) based on numbers, and Lakshadweep has the highest tribal population (94.8%) compared to its total population.
• The Bhils are the largest tribe in India with nearly 46 lakh (4.6 million) members, while the Andamanese tribe is the smallest with only 19 members.
• Tribal communities in India are recognized by the Indian Constitution under ‘Schedule 5’ of the constitution, and tribes recognized by the Constitution are known as ‘Scheduled Tribes’.

Article 342

• The President of India may specify tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within tribes or tribal communities as Scheduled Tribes in relation to any State or Union Territory, after consultation with the Governor of the respective State by public notification.
• Parliament has the authority to include or exclude any tribe or tribal community or part of or group within any tribe or tribal community from the list of Scheduled Tribes through a law.
• Once a notification is issued by the President specifying a tribe or tribal community as Scheduled Tribe, it can only be modified by an Act of Parliament and not by any subsequent notification.
• The listing of Scheduled Tribes is done State/Union Territory wise and not on an all India basis.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs

• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is responsible for overall development of Scheduled Tribes in India
• It was established in 1999 after the bifurcation of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
• The objective is to provide a more focused approach on the integrated socio-economic development of the Scheduled Tribes (STs)
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal Ministry for overall policy, planning, and coordination of programs of development for the Scheduled Tribes
• Sectoral programs and schemes of development of these communities policy, planning, monitoring, evaluation, etc. are the responsibility of concerned Central Ministries/Departments, State Governments, and Union Territory Administrations

National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)

• The NCST was established through the Constitution (89th Amendment) Act, 2003 by amending Article 338 and inserting a new Article 338A in the Constitution.
• The amendment replaced the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes with two separate Commissions: the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).
• The NCSC and NCST were established on 19th February 2004.

Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) strategy

• The Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) is a government initiative aimed at the socio-economic development of tribal people.
• The TSP funds provided by the state have to be at least equal to the proportion of the ST population in each state or UT.
• Central Ministries/Departments are also required to allocate funds for the TSP.
• The TSP funds are non-divertible and non-lapsable as per the guidelines of the Planning Commission.
• The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes participates and advises in the planning process of STs’ socio-economic development and evaluates their progress under the Union and any State.

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)

• PVTGs (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) are a category of tribal groups in India who are considered more vulnerable due to their declining or stagnant population, low level of literacy, pre-agricultural level of technology, and economic backwardness.
• There are 75 PVTGs identified by the Ministry of Home Affairs, spread over 18 states and one Union Territory (A&N Islands) in India.
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs implements the Scheme of “Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)” exclusively for these groups, wherein Conservation-cum-Development (CCD)/Annual Plans are prepared by each state/UT based on need assessment, and priority is given to PVTGs under various schemes and grants.
• The Jiban Sampark Project in Odisha, in association with UNICEF, aims to generate awareness among PVTGs on various development and welfare initiatives of the State Government, with a focus on skill development, community empowerment, cooperation, and innovation.
• The criteria followed for determination of PVTGs include pre-agriculture level of technology, stagnant or declining population, extremely low literacy, and subsistence level of the economy.

Denotified tribes

• Denotified tribes were listed as criminals under the Criminal Tribes Act 1871 by the British.
• They were addicted to the systematic commission of non-bailable offences.
• They were required to register with the local magistrate and faced severe movement restrictions.
• After Independence, the Criminal Tribes Act was repealed and replaced by the Habitual Offenders Act.
• Denotified tribes still face numerous disabilities and are unable to meet their subsistence needs.
• The Idate Commission appointed by the Government called for the repeal of the Habitual Offenders Act to allow for inclusive development of these tribes.

Important Tribes of India (Statewise)

State	Tribes
Andhra Pradesh	Andh, Sadhu Andh, Bhil, Bhaghata, Dhulia,rona, Kolam, Gond, Thoti, Goundu, Kammara, Savaras, Dabba Yerukula, Sugalis, Nakkala, Pardhan, Gadabas, Chenchus A.k.a Chenchawar, Kattunayakan, Jatapus, Manna Dhora
Arunachal Pradesh	Singpho, Monpa, Abor, Sherdukpen, Galo, Apatanis
Assam	Khasis, Chakma, Dimasa, Gangte, Garos, Hajong, Chutiya
Bihar	Gond, Birjia, Asur, Savar, Parhaiya, Chero, Birhor, Santhals, Baiga
Chhattisgarh	Nagasia, Biar, Khond, Agariya, Bhattra, Mawasi, Bhaina,
Goa	Varli, Dubia, Siddi, Dhodia, Naikda
Gujarat	Patelia, Bhil, Dhodia, Bamcha, Barda, Paradhi, Charan, Gamta
Himachal Pradesh	Swangal, Gujjars, Lahaulas, Khas, Pangwala, Lamba, Gaddis
Jammu and Kashmir	Balti, Garra, Sippi, Bakarwal, Mon, Gaddi, Purigpa, Beda
Jharkhand	Gonds, Birhors, Savar, Mundas, Santhals, Khaira, Bhumji
Karnataka	Gond, Patelia, Barda, Yerava, Bhil, Koraga, Adiyan, Iruliga,
Kerala	Malai, Aarayan, Arandan, Uralis, Kurumbas, Arandan, Eranvallan
Madhya Pradesh	Kharia, Bhils, Murias, Birhors, Baigas, Katkari, Kol, Bharia, Khond, Gonds,
Maharashtra	Warlis, Khond, Bhaina, Katkari, Bhunjia, Rathawa, Dhodia.
Manipur	Thadou, Aimol, Maram, Paite, Chiru, Purum, Kuki, Monsang, Angami
Meghalaya	Pawai, Chakma, Raba, Hajong, Lakher, Garos, Jaintias Khasis
Mizoram	Dimasa, Raba, Chakma, Lakher, Khasi, Synteng, Kuki, Pawai.
Nagaland	Nagas, Angami, Sema, Garo, Kuki, Kachari, Mikir, Konyak, Lotha
Odisha	Gadaba, Ghara, Kharia, Khond, Matya, Oraons, Rajuar, Santhals.
Rajasthan	Bhils, Damaria, Dhanka, Meenas(Minas), Patelia, Sahariya, Lambada(Banjara).
Sikkim	Bhutia, Khas, Lepchas.
Tamil Nadu	Adiyan, Aranadan, Eravallan, Irular, Kadar, Kanikar, Kotas, Todas.
Telangana	Chenchus.
Tripura	Bhil, Bhutia, Chaimal, Chakma, Halam, Khasia, Lushai, Mizel, Namte.
Uttarakhand	Bhotia, Buksa, Jaunsari, Raji, Tharu.
Uttar Pradesh	Bhotia, Buksa, Jaunsari, Kol, Raji, Tharu.
West Bengal	Asur, Khond, Hajong, Ho, Parhaiya, Rabha, Santhals, Savar.
Andaman and Nicobar	Great Andamanese, Oraons, Onges, Sentinelese, Shompens.
Little Andaman	Jarawa
Lakshadweep	Aminidivis, Koyas, Malmis, Melacheris.
North-East	Abhors, Chang, Galaong, Mishimi, Singpho, Wancho.

Most Famous Tribal Groups

Bhils Tribe:

• Found in mountain ranges of Udaipur and some districts of Rajasthan

• Largest tribe in India
• Known as the Bow men of Rajasthan
• Speak Bhili language
• Celebrate Ghoomar dance, Bhagoria Mela, Than Gair-a dance drama, and Baneshwar Fair

Gonds Tribe:

• Found in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh, and parts of Maharashtra, Orissa, and Andhra Pradesh
• Second biggest tribe in India
• Known for their valor and speak Dravidian Gondi language
• Houses made of mud walls and thatched roofs in Gondi forests
• Main occupation is agriculture
• Celebrate Keslapur Jathra and Madai festivals

Baiga Tribe:

• A Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)
• Mainly live in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh
• Traditionally lived a semi-nomadic life and practiced slash and burn cultivation, now mainly dependent on minor forest produce
• Primary resource is bamboo
• Tattooing is an integral part of Baiga culture
• Celebrate specific festivals in different regions

Munda Tribe:

• Found in Jharkhand and parts of Chattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal
• Speak Mundari language
• In the past, they were hunters, now they are laborers in farms
• Follow Sarna religion and worship Singbonga, the Sun God
• Language is Killi and Nupur dance is the main entertainment
• Celebrate Mage, Karam, Sarhaul, and Phagu festivals

Santhal Tribes:

• Major tribe of West Bengal, also seen in parts of Bihar, Odisha, and Assam.
• Largest tribe in Jharkhand.
• First tribe to offer resistance to the British during the 1855 Santhal Rebellion.
• Depend on agriculture, livestock, and hunting for their living.
• Follow the Sarna religion and have no temples or idols of their own.
• Traditional festivals include Karam and Sahrai, and Santhali dance and music is a major attraction.

Meenas:

• Found in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
• Claim mythological descent from the Matsya avatar of Vishnu and people of the Matsya Kingdom.
• Divided into several clans and sub-clans named after their ancestors.
• Oppose the entry of Gurjars into the Scheduled Tribe fold in Rajasthan.
• One of the most excluded and primitive tribes.

Toto Tribe:

• Found in Totapara village in the Alipurduar district of West Bengal.
• Language has no script and is influenced by Nepali and Bengali.
• Trade vegetables and fruits to maintain their simple life.
• Believe in God Ishpa and Goddess Cheima, though they proclaim to be Hindus.

Bodo Tribe:

• Found in Assam and parts of West Bengal and Nagaland.
• Believed to be the early indigenous settlers of Assam.
• Belong to the Indo-Mongoloid family and speak the Bodo language.
• Weaving of handloom products is an intrinsic part of their culture.
• Celebrate the Baishagu festival in spring, dedicated to Lord Shiva, Hapsa hatarani, and Domashi.

Angami Tribe:

• Found in the district of Kohima in Nagaland.
• Men dress in white Mhoushu and black Lohe, and women wear Mechala and ornaments of beads, mask pendants, bracelets, etc.
• Best known for the Hornbill Festival, which attracts crowds from various parts of the world.
• Hornbill Festival starts on December 1 and goes on for ten days, with 17 tribes taking part.
• Known for intricate art and woodwork and work in bamboo and cane, and speak different dialects like Gnamei, Ngami, Tsoghami.

Rengmas Tribe:

• Distribution: Nagaland
• One of the seventeen major Naga tribes
• Follow patriarchal system
• Originally animist, but Christianity is also present
• Agriculture is main occupation, practice Jhumming
• Women are expert weavers

Koyank Tribe:

• Distribution: Nagaland
• Largest out of 17 officially recognized tribes in Nagaland
• Known as ‘those violent headhunters with tattooed faces’
• Now practice agriculture and hunt seasonally
• More than 95% follow Christianity
• Men wear earrings made of deer horn, necklace made of boar tusks, and brass heads
• Festivals: Aoling to welcome spring, ‘Lao Ong Mo’ harvest festival

Bhutia Tribe:

• Mainly found in Sikkim and parts of West Bengal and Tripura
• Of Tibetan ancestry and speak Lhopo or Sikkimese language
• Known for their art and cuisine
• Staple food is steamed meat dumplings called momos
• Thukpa, noodles in a broth, is another dish
• Celebrate Losar and Loosong festivals

Bru or Reang Tribe:

• Community indigenous to Northeast India, living mostly in Tripura, Mizoram, and Assam
• Second largest tribal community of Tripura, recognized as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group
• In Mizoram, they have been targeted by groups that do not consider them indigenous to the state
• In 1997, nearly 37,000 Brus fled Mamit, Kolasib, and Lunglei districts of Mizoram and were accommodated in relief camps in Tripura
• Since then, 5,000 have returned to Mizoram in eight phases of repatriation, while 32,000 still live in six relief camps in North Tripura
• In June 2018, community leaders from the Bru camps signed an agreement with the Centre and the two-state governments, providing for repatriation in Mizoram, but most camp residents rejected the terms of the agreement because they didn’t guarantee their safety in Mizoram.

Chakmas:

• Distribution: Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh
• Strong genetic affinity to Tibeto-Burman groups in Northeast India and East Asian populations
• Believe they are part of Buddha’s Sakya clan from Himalayan tribes
• Gradually migrated to Arakan and spread their territory to nearby hills of Chittagong Hill Tracts
• Many settlements submerged during the construction of the Kaptai Dam in the 1960s
• Some became refugees in NEFA (present Arunachal Pradesh) during the Chittagong Hill Tracts conflict in mid-1970s
• Language is Chakma, part of Indo-Aryan group
• Mainly practice Theravada Buddhism
• Festivals include Bizu, Alphaloni, Buddha Purnima, and Kathin Civar Dan

Lepcha Tribe:

• Lives in the Himalayan range in North-East India, mainly in Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Bhutan, Sikkim, and Darjeeling
• Mongoloid tribe with an admixture of Nepalese and Sikkims languages
• Call themselves “Rong”
• Rearing cattle and milch cows and cultivating agricultural and horticultural crops
• Originally nature worshipers and believed in witchcraft and spirits, but later embraced Buddhism
• Known as Nepalese in Tripura, and their social and community relationships are also bound with Nepalese

Khasi Tribe:

• Mainly found on the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya and in parts of Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal
• Most follow Christianity and speak Khasi, an Austro-Asiatic language
• Property is passed on from the mother to the youngest daughter
• Women wear silver or gold crown, and men wear large earrings
• Play plenty of music and a wide range of musical instruments like drums, guitars, flutes, cymbals, etc.
• Major festival is Nongkrem festival, five days long when women wear Jainsem dress and men wear Jymphong

Garo Tribe:

• Mainly found in the hills of Meghalaya and parts of Assam, Nagaland, and West Bengal
• One of the few matrilineal societies in the world
• Unique architecture with buildings such as Nokmong, Nokpante, Jamadaal, and Jamsireng
• Women wear a variety of traditional ornaments, and men wear traditional dress with a turban with feathers stuck in them
• Festival of Wangala is their celebration

Nyishi Tribe:

• Inhabits the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh, mainly from districts of Kurung Kumey, Papum Pare, Upper, and Lower Subansiri
• Language spoken is Nishi
• Majority have converted to Christianity
• No major festival mentioned

Gaddis Tribe:

• Distribution: Himachal Pradesh
• Mainly dwell around the Dhauladhar mountain range, Chamba, Bharmaur, and areas near Dharamshala
• Main occupation is pastoralism and make their livelihood by rearing and selling sheep, goats, mules, and horses
• Mostly Hindus and a few Muslims
• Speak Gaddi Language but use Takri and Hindi for writing
• Festivals include Shivarathri and Jatra.

Gurjars:

• Found in Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Kashmir
• Practise pastoral and dairy farming
• Engage in transhumance
• Have both Hindu and Muslim segments
• Established kingdoms and entered Rajput groups
• Known for giving an identity to Gujarat

Warli Tribe:

• Found in Maharashtra-Gujarat border and surrounding areas
• Known for Warli Art created with cow dung, earth, rice paste, bamboo stick, and red ochre
• Conduct Tarpa dance and Warli Folk Art Dancing People Festival

Khonds/ Dongari Khond:

• Found in Orissa
• Speak Kui language written with the Oriya script
• Are nature-worshipping forest dwellers
• Practise shifting cultivation locally called Podu
• Protested against Vedanta Resources mining company and won

Chenchu Tribe:

• Indigenous to Andhra Pradesh and inhabits forests of Nallamala Hills
• Hunt and trade in jungle products like honey, roots, gums, fruits, and tubers
• Speak Chenchu language with Telugu accent
• Ritualistic lot
• Celebrate Mahashivarathri with great pomp, especially in Amarbad tiger reserve Telangana

Lambadas:

• Found in AP, Karnataka, Rajasthan
• Largest tribe of AP
• Live in exclusive settlements of their own called Tandas
• Expert cattle breeders
• Subsist by sale of milk and milk products
• Celebrate Teej, Ugadi, etc.

Apatani Tribes (or Tanni):

• Found in the Ziro valley in Arunachal Pradesh
• Speak a local language called Tani and worship the sun and the moon
• Follow a sustainable social forestry system
• Celebrate major festivals like Dree and Myoko
• Practice unique rice-fish culture in the valley
• UNESCO has proposed the Apatani valley for inclusion as a World Heritage Site.

Siddis Tribe

• Descended from Bantu people of Southeast Africa
• Brought in as slaves by the Portuguese
• Found in various parts of Karnataka
• Majority are Christians, others follow Hinduism and Islamism
• Fond of ritual practices, dance, and music

Kodava Tribe

• Concentrated in Coorg, Karnataka
• Patrilineal tribe from Kodagu or Coorg
• Speak the Kodava language
• Basically agriculturists
• Passionate about hockey
• Only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a license

Koragas

• Distribution: Karnataka and Kerala
• Traditionally lived in structures made of leaves, called koppus
• Subjected to inhuman practice of Ajalu, banned in 2000
• Practice endogamy with regard to their three main subdivisions
• Worship spirits known as Bhutas as well as some devas and a sun god
• Known for drum beating (dollu or dolu beating) and flute music and dance involving both men and women
• Language is Koraga which has no script

Kadar

• Distribution: Kerala and Tamil Nadu
• Live in forests and do not practice any agriculture
• Specialists in collection of honey, wax etc which they trade to obtain food items
• Live in temporary shelters with thatch leaves and shift according to employment availability
• Worship many jungle spirits

Toda Tribe

• Found in parts of the Nilgiris mountain in Tamil Nadu
• Livelihood depends on cattle farming and dairy
• Skill in architecture is reflected in the oval and tent-shaped bamboo houses with thatched roofs
• Toda embroidery work, Pukhoor, is well acclaimed
• Most important festival is Modhweth

Irular Tribe

• Inhabits areas of the Nilgiri mountain in Tamil Nadu and Kerala
• Second-largest tribe in Kerala, found mostly in the Palakkad region
• Mainly farmers and dependent on the production of paddy, dhal, Raggi, chilies, turmeric, and plantains
• Ritualistic, believe in their own Gods, and are known for their skills in black magic

Kattunayakan (King of Jungle)

• Distribution: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka
• Hunting and collecting forest produce are the two main means of living
• Believe in Hinduism and have a language, which is a mixture of all Dravidian languages
• Main deity is Lord Shiva and under the name of Bhairava
• Worship animals, birds, trees, rock hillocks, and snakes, along with other Hindu deities
• Child marriages were common before the 1990s, but now girls marry after attaining puberty
• Monogamy is the general rule among the Kattunayakar community
• Non-vegetarians and are fond of music, songs, and dancing
• Also called Cholanaickar and Pathinaickars.

Cholanayakan tribe:

• Distribution: southern Kerala State, especially Silent Valley National Park.
• They inhabit interior forests and live in rock shelters or open campsites made of leaves.
• Subsist on food-gathering, hunting and minor forest produce collection.
• Speak the Cholanaikkan language, which belongs to the Dravidian family.

Kanikaran tribe:

• Found in southern parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu states in India.
• Main profession is agriculture, but they have a special liking for fishing and hunting.
• Semi-nomadic, living in temporary huts of bamboo and reeds on hillsides.
• Perform Kaanikkar Nritham, a form of group dance as a rural offering.

Kurumba tribe:

• Major tribe found in parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• One of the earliest settlers of the Western Ghats.
• Lead a simplistic lifestyle depending on agriculture and gathering of honey and wax.
• Adept at formulating traditional herbal medicines.
• Well known for their skills in witchcraft and magic.

Great Andamanese tribe:

• Based in the ‘Strait Island’ of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Speak Jeru dialect among themselves.
• Population stands at 51 as per the last study carried out by Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti in 2012.
• Hundreds were killed in conflict defending their territories from British invasion, and thousands more were wiped out in epidemics of measles, influenza, and syphilis.

Onges:

• Semi-nomadic and fully dependent on hunting and gathering for food.
• Speak the Önge language, one of two known Ongan languages.
• Decline in population due to changes in food habits from contact with outside world.
• Infant and child mortality rate is around 40%.

Shompens:

• Hunter-gatherer subsistence people, hunting wild game and foraging for fruits and forest foods.
• Lowland Shompen build huts on stilts with woven walls and thatched palm frond roofs.
• Language is Shompen belonging to Austroasiatic Language.

Sentinelese:

• Uncontacted people
• Hunter-gatherers
• Use bows and arrows for hunting
• Not known to engage in agriculture
• Fire-making knowledge unclear

Jarawa Tribe:

• Indigenous people of Andaman Islands
• Live in South and Middle Andaman Islands
• Largely shun interaction with outsiders
• Great Andaman Trunk Road built through their forest homeland in the 1970s
• Increased contacts with outsiders
• Trading and outbreak of diseases occurred
• Tourists banned from taking the trunk road passing through Jarawa area in 2013
• Supreme Court reversed interim order in 2013, allowing the road to be fully re-opened with vehicles traveling in large convoys four times a day.

List of PVTGs in India

STATE/ UT	PVTGs NAME
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana	1. Bodo Gadaba 2. Bondo Poroja 3. Chenchu 4. Dongria Khond 5. Gutob Gadaba 6. Khond Poroja 7. Kolam 8. Kondareddis 9. Konda Savaras 10. Kutia Khond 11. Parengi Poroja l2. Thoti
Bihar (including Jharkhand)	13. Asurs 14. Birhor 15. Birjia 16. Hill Kharia 17. Konvas 18. Mal Paharia 19. Parhaiyas 20. Sauda Paharia 21. Savar
Gujarat	22. Kathodi 23. Kohvalia 24. Padhar 25. Siddi 26. Kolgha
Karnataka	27. Jenu Kuruba 28. Koraga
Kerala	29.Cholanaikayan (a section of Kattunaickans) 30. Kadar 31. Kattunayakan 32. Kurumbas 33. Koraga
Madhya Pradesh (including Chhattisgarh)	34. Abujh Macias 35. Baigas 36. Bharias 37. Hill Korbas 38. Kamars39. Saharias 40. Birhor
Maharashtra	41. Katkaria (Kathodia) 42. Kolam 43. Maria Gond
Manipur	44. Marram Nagas
Odisha	45. Birhor 46. Bondo 47. Didayi 48. Dongria-Khond 49. Juangs 50. Kharias 51. Kutia Kondh 52. Lanjia Sauras 53. Lodhas 54. Mankidias 55. Paudi Bhuyans 56. Soura 57. Chuktia Bhunjia
Rajasthan	58. Seharias
Tamil Nadu	59. Kattu Nayakans 60. Kotas 61. Kurumbas 62. Irulas 63. Paniyans 64. Todas
Tripura	65. Reangs
Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand	66. Buxas 67. Rajis
West Bengal	68. Birhor 69. Lodhas 70. Totos
Andaman & Nicobar Islands	71. Great Andamanese 72. Jarawas 73. Onges 74. Sentinelese 75. Shorn Pens

Xaxa Committee on Tribal Communities of India

• A High-Level Committee (HLC) was constituted by the Prime Minister’s Office in 2013, under the chairmanship of Prof. Virginius Xaxa
• The Committee examined the socio-economic, educational and health status of tribal communities and recommended appropriate interventional measures to improve the same
• The Committee submitted its report in May 2014
• The five critical issues studied by the Xaxa Committee were: livelihood and employment, education, health, involuntary displacement and migration, and legal and constitutional matters
• The first three issues (livelihood and employment, education, and health) have been at the root of the post-colonial State’s development agenda for tribes
• Substantial resources have been allocated specifically for tribes in all these spheres, and special programmes and schemes have also been formulated to address problems on these fronts
• Despite this, the status of tribes in these spheres continues to be one of the critical gaps in India’s road to development, raising questions about institutions and systems for delivery of public goods and services
• Tribal areas have witnessed large-scale development of industry, mining, infrastructure projects such as roads and railways, hydraulic projects such as dams and irrigation, and urbanization, leading to loss of livelihood, massive displacement and involuntary migration of tribes
• The working of legislations such as the Provisions of Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996 and The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act (FRA), 2006, have been analyzed by the Committee
• These legislations have changed the legal status of tribal and forest communities but policies and practices have been slow to absorb the changed circumstances recognized in the law
• The Committee has examined these legislations and their violations for future amendment
• The report also highlights issues such as land acquisition, food security, detention and imprisonment, the status of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and De-notified Tribes.