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The presentation questions the current and future policy directions with respect to the Scheduled Tribes and Forest in India. It also suggests a model for future direction. This presentation was made to the senior Indian Forest Officers in Indira National Forest Academy,Dehradun
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Forest Land and Rights of Tribal
Dr. Avanish KumarPublic Policy Management Email: [email protected]
April 13, 2023
Its not to freeze, but to show future dynamism
Erosion of Forest Land Or Traditional Rights of the Tribal ?
?
Development Social InequityNational Average
Proportion of literates (Census 2001 65% Overall for tribal people 47%Bihar 28%Jharkhand 41%Madhya Pradesh 41%Chhattisgarh 52%Andhra Pradesh 37%Orissa 37%Rajasthan 47%
Infant mortality rate (2005/6 NationalFamily Health Survey 3)
36.1 STs 43.8
Deliveries in a health facility 51 % STs 18%
The proportion of ST children, aged 12-23 months who received basic vaccinations, is much lower than the rest of the population.
ST children also have a much higher incidence of anaemia. Incidence of stunting and wasting much higher among ST children.
Incidence of overall under-nutrition (under weight) is significantly higher among ST children than among others. Source: Planning Commision,2008
Approx. 900 Tribes (8.2%)
STs traditionally lived in about 15 % of the country’s area.
Forest Dept. controls 23 % the country’s territory
Tribes, Forest and Spatial Inequity
North EastLow(< 20%)
Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, RajasthanModerate
(20 to 30 %)
West Bengal, Maharsshtra, Assam, U.P. (including Uttaranchal)
High (30 to 50%)
Orissa, Jharkhand, M.P. (including Chattisgarh) Extremely High (>50%)
Spatial ConclaveIncidence of Poverty among STs
Report of National Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, Government of India, 2005
Hea
lth In
equi
ty
Forest, Land, Tribes & Occupation
70 % of their total income is from collection and marketing of MFP. Only 3.5 % of the total employment in the group of A and B About 35% of STs are below the poverty line
Out of 58 districts , which have 67 % of forest cover, 51 happens to be tribal districts. A survey of 2001-03 forest cover shows net increase of 321,100 ha in tribal
districts.
11.7638.04Other Workers
1.042.56Household Industry
32.6919.66Agricultural Labourers
54.5039.74Cultivators
Amongst STsAmongst total population
Items (Distribution in %)
?
Tribes Development is not necessarily forest Dependent/Philanthropy
Low Cost Technology, Equitable Market and Inclusive Policies
Strengthen Culture Nature Nurture
On one hand by inequalities in contemporary living conditions, &
On the other, by real threats to the prospects of human life in future.
One of the Key Concern is…
Rights of the Scheduled Tribes
13 listed forest rights includes rights to land under individual and communal occupation for
habitation or self cultivation Usufructs & grazing including the right to protect, regenerate
and/or conserve/manage Settlement of disputed claims, pattas/leases, and conversion
of forest villages to revenue villages ( as per 1990 circular) Rights over minor forest produce, intellectual property rights
on traditional knowledge & Habitat & habitation rights of primitive tribal groups and pre-
agricultural communities. These rights are
Heritable but not alienable Subsistence and livelihood purpose, & Not for exclusive commercial use
Policy Assumptions
Stakes Assumptions
Forest“Lungs of Earth”
Homogeneous Supply of public good
Tribes “Stomach of Poor”
Homogeneous demands of forest/land products
Panchayat“Whose Brain & Brawn”
Homogeneous Management Capability
Before 31st December 2008 and After 4th November 2009 - ?
Contextualizing Tribes and Forests Incentives
Key Incentives Tribes Forest
Material incentives -Rewards of money, products, jobs, collective platform
Solidarity incentives - Intangible rewards available only to coalition members
Purposive incentives - Accomplishment of a significant goal for the common good
Adopted from Olson
Contextualizing Tribes & Forests Partnership
Key Activities Low Medium High
Reciprocity - extent to which resource/support are both given and received
Multiple Function - extent to which social relationships serve economic and emotions
Homogeneity - extent to which overlaps in knowledge, interest, status
Dispersion - extent to which members live in geographic proximity to one another
Adopted form Ostrom
…why incur costs when the benefit is provided to all regardless of who participates/contributes?
Costs of participation with respect to time
Benefits
CLess cost high benefits
A ?High cost, equal benefits
B
End
Contextualizing Tribes & Forests Participation
Value of Public Good + Selective Benefits - Cost of Participation = Individual Benefits
Contextualizing Tribes & ForestsConcern and Consequence
According to Fried, tribes…“are the product of specific political and economic pressures emanating from already existing state-organized societies.”
Target & Definitional Challenges
Rethink Definition of the ST
Primitive Traits – What is the expression of Geographically isolated Distinct culture Shyness of contact with community at
large Economically backward
Communities are notified as ST under Article 342 of the Constitution based on the following Characteristics
Not Primitive Traits Geographically Knitted Distinct culture Symbiotic contact with community at
large Economically not backward
A
fter
40-
50 y
ears
Evolve a New School of Thought
Annexationist Total State Control over forest
Pragmatic State Management of ecologically sensitive & strategically valuable Forest, allowing other areas to remain under communal system of management
Populist Guha,1990
Tribes & Peasants exercise sovereign rights over woodland
Realistic
Three Consensus & Convergence
1. Scientific & Local Realities
2. Equity and Environment Principles
3. Short Term & Long-term Interest
Realistic School of Thought require
Required Changes for Realistic Model
Decision Making Technical Inputs Value Chain Creation Benefit Distribution
This would require to create…
Common understanding of “Strain” Crystallization of Beliefs Quality control through social collateral Structural Conduciveness
It will mainly depend upon
1. Strong Credible leadership2. Compelling mission/purpose3. Well informed/knowledgeable
Membership4. Incentives for stakeholder involvement
“The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of
thinking we were at when we created them”…Albert Einstein
Thank You !
