Dr. V. Srinivasa Rao, Associate Professor and Head, Centre for Regional Studies (CRS), School of Social Sciences, University of Hyderabad, published his 6th book titled Challenges of Tribal Development: Contemporary Social Concerns with Rawat Publications.

This is an edited volume with 14 chapters under two different thematic heads. This is the 3rd book of 4 books as an outcome of the national seminar on “Tribal Policies and Programmes in India: Regional Reflections in the Context of Globalisation” with the financial assistance from TCR&TM, Tribal Welfare Department, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India.

About the Editor

V. Srinivasa Rao is Associate Professor and Head of Centre for Regional Studies, School of Social Sciences, University of Hyderabad. He previously worked in the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP) at the University of Hyderabad (2009–2017) and Maulana Azad National Urdu University (2007–2009). Before he joined the teaching and research field in the university system, he worked in CARE-India (2002–2007) on the issues such as education, health, food security, and livelihood in the tribal areas of Northern Andhra Pradesh in a project called ‘Sustainable Tribal Empowerment Project’ funded by the European Union (EU). His edited books including the recent are ‘Adivasi Rights and Exclusion in India’ (2019), published by Routledge, ‘Disadvantaged Tribes of India’ (2021) and ‘Tribal Livelihood and Governance’ (2021) by Rawat publications. He also authored two books out of which one is published by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi. He has published his research findings in peer-reviewed journals, such as Economic and Political Weekly, Journal of Educational Planning and Administration, and Indian Journal of Public Administration.

About the Book

The tribals in India who have been rich in terms of possessing natural resources in their respective regions, still continue to live in underdevelopment and are inaccessible to most of the development indicators. The present volume provides critical insights to understand the major challenges of tribal development in India.

Why do we discuss the challenges of tribal development even after 74 years of India’s independence? Is tribal development a priority to the successive governments? If so, why scheduled tribe (ST) communities are still lagging much behind as compared with rest of the social groups, including scheduled castes, in social, political and economic indicators? Why is tribal development a major challenge?  This volume offers a fairly comprehensive account of a wide range of insights with reference to such issues across the states.

It is evident from the available data that most of the wealth from the tribal areas is being driven for the development of non-tribal areas in India. This itself constitutes one of the major challenges of tribal development in India. The authors find that areas such as education, health, displacement, forest, governance, livelihood promotion, poverty etc. constitute the biggest challenge to tribal development. What is needed to address the challenges of tribal development is a strong will of the state and a sound social determination among various civil society groups.

The present volume while discussing the issues pertaining to agriculture, decentralisation, displacement, education, forest rights, governance, health and livelihood with reference to scheduled tribes in India also suggests some policy measures. It covers a range of research areas on tribal studies in the interdisciplinary perspective.

 

Contents

Foreword

P. Ranjit Basha, IAS, Director, Tribal Welfare Department, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh

Preface

 Acknowledgement

 Introduction

V. Srinivasa Rao

Part I: Education, Health and Governance

  1. Retaining Tribal Children in Schools: Challenges and Policy Concerns

Tattwamasi Paltasingh

  1. Implementation of English Medium in Government Schools: A Perspective of Scheduled Tribes in Andhra Pradesh

Kandrakonda Jhansi

  1. Challenges of Secondary Education: A Study on Educational Status of Scheduled Tribes

Thomas K. J. and V. Srinivasa Rao

  1. Tribal Health and Healthcare Challenges in India: Issues and Concerns

Rajesh Raushan and Geeta Sahu

  1. Tribal Health Burden and Challenges: A Study of Andhra Pradesh

A.V. Lakshmi

  1. Health, Hygiene and Nutrition of Tribal Children in Ashram Schools: A Sociological Study in Maharashtra

Srabanti Choudhuri

  1. Ethnomedical System and Health Management Practices: A Study among Kanikkars Tribe of Kerala

Mini P.V.

  1. Tribal Displacement and the Need of Good Governance

Nilakantha Panigrahi

  1. Genesis and Evolution of Secularism in India: A Critique of Constitutional Jurisprudence and the Tribal Perspective

Aniruddha Babar

  1. Decentralisation, Forest Governance and Tribes in West Bengal: An Ethnographic Reflection

Subhandu Patra

  

Part II: Forest Rights, Agriculture and Livelihood

  1. Tribal Livelihood Promotion: Reimagining a New Socio-Economic Order

Suryamani Roul

  1. Implementation of Forest Rights Act in Andhra Pradesh: An Assessment

Palla Trinadha Rao

  1. Tribal Women in the Agriculture and the Market: A Case Study from Chhattisgarh

Kritika Mishra and Nilakantha Panigrahi

  1. Livelihood Status of Tribal Women: A Study of PVTGs in Visakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh

Mutluri Abraham