1. The Tribal Sub-Plan strategy of tribal development is a concept intended to address the issues of backwardness in tribal areas and tribal population in an integrated way by earmarking funds at least not less than proportionate to their population percentage in the plan budget. It is a methodology to ensure a minimum flow of funds to tribal areas from the Plan for all-round tribal development. Each department of state government as well as union government has to earmark funds on this principle. The strategy was introduced in the 5th Five-Year Plan in the country. Prior to this there are no principles to measure the flow of funds to tribal areas. The philosophy behind the concept is equitable distribution of resources of the nation for equal development of all sections of the society and to arrest development stagnation in the tribal societies.

2. Quantification and setting apart of fund for TSP areas by various development Departments will provide better monitorable indicators for various schemes, their relevance, continuous evaluation and corrective action. In mid 1990s a few state governments have taken an important decision to improve the TSP strategy: the fund earmarked under TSP will be booked against the budget demand of Tribal Welfare Department and the development departments would implement schemes and programmes on obtaining administrative approval from the Tribal Welfare Department. This is generally known as Maharashtra model since it was the first state to innovate. The intention was (1) to avoid diversion of any fund from TSP to other areas by the individual departments (2) to converge various services according to felt needs of tribal population at the ground as well as at state level by the tribal welfare department and (3) to integrate the development efforts of all departments in tribal areas at a single agency.

3. In the states, Tribal Welfare Department is the nodal department to coordinate, monitor and supervise the schemes implemented by various departments. In fact Tribal Welfare Department before finalising State Plan, ought to finalise all the schemes and programmes of all departments and then earmark funds to each Department. However in practice except one or two states other governments are not following.

4. The perusal of total flow of funds under TSP, total State Plans flow would reveal that in the case of central government fund is little above 9% during the 8th plan period. Where as for many of the states the flow is far below their tribal populations. The situation of has improved between 5th and 8th plans due to increased assertion and voice of the tribals and an urge to bridge ugly consequences of perceptible differences in many economic indicators reflected in the general unrest in the country in tribal areas.

5. Similarly the perusal of the flow of special central assistance (SCA) to TSP the financial assistance to states to complement pooling of resources for sub plan areas, indicate that from1992-93 to 1996-97 the flow to the states is Rs (in crores) 250, 294.85, 275, 330 and 330. The yearly average increase is just 16%, which do not require any planning at all.

6. Even after 20 years of TSP strategy in the country, many policy analysts argue that no perceptible improvement in the tribal areas and in the living standards of tribals in many states. It has resulted in (1) strains of governance in tribal areas (2) necessitated a fresh appraisal at tribal policy (?) (3) General backwardness found expression in political demands and some times nationalities questions. Anger and frustration of tribals can be empathized if we look at some of the development indicators in TSP and non-TSP areas country since the contrast is more stark and palpable.

7. While we can claim that literacy rate of S.Ts. is increasing but the gap between general and S.Ts. is not only persisting but also widening. In the case of female literacy, the data reveals that literacy rates have made substantial progress but the gap and widening process has not declined. However, it will not reveal the inter State, intra State and inter district and intra district variations in terms of economic capacity, access and social profile of tribes.

Table-3

1. Source:Annual plan 1996-97,Planning commission
2. Source: Annual plan1996-97,Planning Commission
3. Source:.Union primary Census Abstract for SC & ST, Paper I of 1993 -Registrar General and Census Commissioner

8 The gross enrolment rates for both general and S.Ts. continue to show progressive growth. Significance of good pace maintained by S.T.Girls is noteworthy. But the comparative progress in educational sector cannot be solely attributable to government efforts only but to the northeastern scenario. Still majority tribals habitating states like Madhya pradesh, Andrapradesh, Orissa etc continue to lag miles apart from the general tribal averages in the educational sector.

The drop out rates continues to be one of the crucial problems of educational development of S.Ts. in the country. While general drops out rates have come down for all categories, the gap between S.T. and non-S.T. appear to be widening.

9. The percentage of S.T. population, living below poverty line along with general population has shown decline. But the incidence of poverty continues to be very high among S.Ts. primarily due to nature of economic activity, concentration of large S.Ts. in forest areas and lack of access to services.

10. Let us now consider other economic indicators. Only 41% total tribal households have safe drinking water where as 59.84 for S C and 56.40% for others. Similarly in the case of house holds having electricity, only 19.70% for tribal, 21.84% for SC and 34.62 for others. In the case of all three basic facilities, electricity, safe drinking water and toilet facilities, only 1.14% of ST,1.86% of SC and 4.88% of others are having in the country. At the same time 48.06% of ST, 32.14% of SC and 28.65% of general category are having none of the facilities in the country.



Source: Report of Center for monitoring Indian Economy SEP 1993
Series I ,Paper-II of 1993,Census of India 1991

4.88% of others are having in the country. At the same time 48.06% of ST, 32.14% of SC and 28.65% of general category are having none of the facilities in the country.

11. Land and issues connected with it, alienation and prohibitive laws of accessing, have bearing not only on the livelihood abilities of the tribals but had important role in their religio-social life. It is not my intention here to pass any value judgment on the nature and environment of conflict potential of the land in the tribal areas. It is startling to know that out of 917590 ha of land alienated only 537610 ha could be restored as on January 1999. Land alienation still continues to be one of the emotive issues of tribal unrest in the country today, despite stringent laws on the subject.

12. Displacement of tribals due to large-scale projects of "national interest" in tribal areas is a permanent feature of India's development story and source of great agony to the millions of tribals. A conservative estimate of planning commission puts the figure of total number of tribals displaced due to various projects in the country at 85.4 lakhs! Out of that only 24.9% were so far rehabilitated without enquiring into the social and cultural compatibility of rehabilitation of tribal.

General	60.44%
S.T	40.4%

Table-11
Female Literacy.     As on 1991.

General	49.65%
S.T	27.34%

Table-12 .
I-VIII:     Drop out rates.    As on 1993   -   1994