Garudpidi, (Jharkhand) Sep 22 (ANI): The adivasis are probably the oldest inhabitants of our sub-continent living mostly in forested areas.
Over time they have evolved a life-pattern close to nature.
The adivasi's way of life is connected with the forest, which nurtures them, meets many of their needs of food, medicines, fuel and fodder. It is widely acknowledged that wherever forests remain on our planet, adivasi or tribal communities exist. It is a symbiotic bond.
Pre-Independence, life for adivasis was a continuation of patterns, as they existed down the centuries. With the colonial rulers concentrating on other areas of revenue collection and establishing markets, adivasis were simply allowed to be. After Independence and with the Constitution being adopted things began to shift.
There was recognition of the large adivasi population, their unique pattern of life, and their developmental needs in a newly emergent nation-state. This was reflected in the Constitution and in the plans and policies of the Government of India.
As a starting point, they were classified and fell under the category of 'ST' or Scheduled Tribe. This was meant for facilitating the formation and implementation of policies and programmes catering to their specific needs, based on their unique life-patternsut 64 years after Independence, the question we need to ask ourselves is whether this has worked? If we look at basic facilities, adivasis suffer high levels of deprivation. Access to healthcare, drinking water, electricity, roads, education is abysmal.ot- withstanding the priority given to this group in the Constitution, in relevant National Plans, they still remain on the margins. The growth story of India, its vast achievements in a variety of fields and its strides in development seem to have bypassed them.
They remain in their old world, which sustained them but also limited their growth in a fast-changing world. It kept them away from modern processes of development, and made it difficult for them to join the mainstream, despite stated policy intent and a large allocation of resources under various plans and schemes. Why is this so?
Today many of the regions affected by Naxalism are areas with a large adivasi population. The backwardness, lack of development and the neglect they have faced over the decades by those in power is seen to be a factor in the rise of Naxalism. In Jharkhand, this is a truism.
Despite this understanding now widely prevalent in policy circles, there is precious little to show in terms of a better life, or new avenues opening out for the adivasis. They straddle the world of a market economy and a forest-based one, dipping into both for their survival. This is not proving to be a happy mix. With rising prices, the adivasis are finding it difficult to buy basic items from the market.
On the other hand, Government policies and programmes fall short of their overall developmental needs. They seem to be have travelled a distance from their traditional way of life but not been mainstreamed into life as it moves beyond this sphere.
Contrary to popular notion, it is not only the adivasi living deep within the forest, cut off from more developed habitation who faces problems. Even amongst those relatively close to the capital Ranchi, there is a lack of awareness of government policies and programmes meant for their benefit, much less how to go about getting them.
Sarjam Ikir, 13 km from Bundu block, Ranchi on the banks of Khoja River seems an idyllic village surrounded by forests where people live off agriculture and gathering of forest produce. But this small village is beset by problems. Lakhimani Munda, a BA student from PP College, Bundu, says, "It is sad that even after 11years of the formation of the state of Jharkhand, the people of this village have no electricity."
It is true that the neighbouring village, Gabhdeya Gaup has electricity but that does not bring any joy to the villagers of Sarjam Ikir dogged by an abysmal lack of facilities on several counts. Transport facilities, system for irrigation is wanting. Even something as basic as a well does not exist here. There is no sub-healthcare centre. There is no PDS outlet in their village for which they have to then walk 6 km to another village. Many of them get less than their quota but do not know how to go about getting their entitlements.
The adivasis of Sarjam Ikir are not a happy lot and in a sense they reflect the despondency of the adivasis at large. While the onus is on the government to ensure that the interests of the adivasis figure in any configuration of policy planning and implementation, it is also time to get the adivasi more involved in charting out his or her own path of development.
The Gram Sabha is an excellent forum for discussion on a variety of issues related to agriculture, forest protection and PDS amongst others. It is crucial that the perspective of the adivasis are highlighted through this. With Panchayat Extension Scheduled Areas (PESA) in operation, this could become a vibrant network to share ideas and evolve the adivasi model of development.
This can be then taken up by policy makers to deliberate upon and arrive at policies and programmes.
The Charkha Development Communication Network feels that the adivasis need to have a voice and a stake in the developmental processes, which surround the forest where they have lived for centuries. The powers that be need to first acknowledge that and respond to it in a tangible way. By Etwa Munda (ANI)
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