Scheduled Tribes of North-East India and Development

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Scheduled Tribes are categories of communities who are the indigenous people of India. There are about such 645 tribal communities in India comprising of 12% of the total population. In north east India there are about 145 tribal groups of which 78 are large and the rest small comprising 22.81% of north east's population. But these huge components of population constitute the marginal section of India's population. They are the weakest sections of India's population from social, economic as well as educational angles and constitute the matrix of India's poverty. Despite tremendous growth of India's economy in recent times this section remains underdeveloped. This collection of seventeen papers thus analyses the problems that the scheduled tribes of this part of the country face as one of the least developed areas.

The contributors also deliberate to generate debates to the questions of development vis-a vis scheduled tribes of north east India as they analyze the government programmes policies, tribal movements, ecology and development, gender, tribal. culture language and ethnicity, education and employment.

Prof. Th.R.Tiba (1969-2010) taught History at Assam University, Diphu Campus, Assam, till his untimely death on 8th feb.2010 from an accident. He has already published on the oral history of the Maram Nagas and the impact of Christianity on them. His research interest was mainly tribal studies, culture and development of north east India in general and Nagas in particular. Several research being conducted under him remain unfinished.

The heterogeneity of the South-East Himalayan region is mainly due to its strategic geographical location that is enmeshed with various culture, sub culture, language, racial and ethnicity on all sides. The cultural matrix and glossolalia produced unique problems, which need close attention and analysis. The development in these backgrounds has been. differential, contrasting and sporadic. In the light of these differences between one tribe and the others, in their entirety, may be fully analysed. It is hoped that such an analysis could be, fruitfully deployed to accelerate a uniform development process. In the light of these, the Department of History, Assam University, Silchar, Assam organized seminar on the theme "Scheduled Tribes of North-east India and Development" at the University Conference Hall on the 6th-8th August, 2007 by bringing young scholars from all parts of the region to examine issues pertaining to the region and the scheduled tribes in particular in the ambit of development. The papers therefore reflect much more sensitivity and detail of North-East India.

The region-north east India constitutes one of the least developed regions in the country-with bottleneck surface communication problems, poor tele communication, infrequent air connectivity, lack of infrastructure, poor investment in industrial sector, etc. The scheduled tribes constitute the weakest section of India's population from economic and educational angles. They constitute the matrix of India's poverty. The volume which is an outcome of the seminar debates the question on development of north east vis-a-vis the schedule tribes.

The volume covers various issues concerning scheduled tribes that triggered mass movements in the pre- and post-independence India. The leadership, nature of the movement and party formations is analyse to understand people's perceptions of developments. It looks into many tribal movements in the colonial and post-colonial period. The volume looks at the nature of the movements and party formations and; analyses to understand people's perceptions of development with the mainstream and social process of nation building where the movements have shaped the development process in the region. It also examines issues on culture, oral and folklore traditions, language and ethnicity.

The concept of development has undergone several transformations, and the latest being the eco-friendly sustainable development. It examines the role of development of activities to protect the eco-system in the south-east Himalayan region. It deals in depth the ecological damages done, those underway and the means to control such damages. The impact of jhuming and deforestation are highlighted. The natural resources management is also being covered.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages