Tribal development programmes in Himachal Pradesh with special reference to Gaddi tribe of district Chamba HP

Abstract

While the problem of tribal development in India is primarily linked with the backwardness of tribal areas, poverty of the tribal people and the issue of integration of tribal are with rest of the population, the concept of development in tribal situations pose a number of difficulties. Even a good definition of tribal development may undergo scrutiny. Scanders views tribal development as: (a) a movement emphasizing on building upon organizational structures; (b) a programme emphasizing on activities; (c) as a method of emphasizing on certain achievable ends; (d) as a process of emphasizing upon what happens to people not only economically and socially but also psychologically; and (e) institutionalization of newly discovered skills and procedures leading to social change without completely breaking away from the past. The government of India listed them in schedule for special privileges in the constitution hence they are known as the Scheduled tribes. Article 342 empower the president to draw up a list of these tribes and specifies it by public notification. The main safeguards include promotion of educational and economic interests and their protection from injustice and all forms of exploitation. The basic purpose of the tribal development programs was to separate and identifiable physical and financial programs for tribes and tribal areas. The allocation so worked out in the tribal sub-plan was non- divertible to other areas. Tribal Advisory Council was constituted in 1978, the recommendations of which were to be considered while formulating policies for tribal development programs. The government also constituted Project Advisory Committees. A special program of Tribal Development Blocks was taken up in tribal areas. Since a Community Development Block was expected to cover all aspects of community life in the area. Special Multipurpose Tribal Development Blocks were started in tribal area which was later renamed as Tribal Development Blocks. newline