Economic Upliftment of Tribal Households in South Chhotanagpur Division of Jharkhand India A study on the Impact of Horticulture Scheme Birsa Harit Gram Yojana under MGNREGA

Abstract

In last two decades multiple policies and programs including MGNREGA were adopted to create employment opportunity and increase the economic level of the indigenous people. Government of Jharkhand launched a unique Horticulture (Birsa Harit Gram Yojana) scheme under MGNREGA namely Birsa Munda Baagwani Yojana in the year 2016 having provision of plantation of mangoes in the upland of the beneficiary households. The impacts of employment generation on the income and livelihood conditions of the beneficiary households, with respect to various dimensions like poverty reduction, income security, food and nutritional security, reduction in indebtedness and distress migration, etc. have been explored in numerous studies. However, the impacts of Horticulture (Birsa Harit Gram Yojana) scheme as an individual category scheme on Tribal Households have not been explored to the extent they should have been. Impact of Horticulture (Birsa Harit Gram Yojana) scheme as an asset to improve the economic upliftment of Tribal households of Jharkhand has not been adequately studied. Horticulture (Birsa Harit Gram Yojana) scheme not only generates employment and provide immediate wages to the beneficiaries for the work being done in their own piece of land but also adds a long-term impact with creation of a durable asset for strengthening livelihood of the participating households. The short-term objective of the MGNREGS is to provide income security to the rural people, but its long-term objective is to uplift the rural poor. Employment generation and multiplier effects of public works have been helpful in achieving the above objectives. Assets creation on the land or homestead of Para-5 beneficiaries would change the economic status of the scheduled tribe households. This is an important assumption of this study. The paper is attempting, to see through the intent of the scheme to explore the impact on the ground, for further replicating the scheme, making recommendations for further policy formulation. The methodologies include a