The presentation questions the current and future policy directions with respect to the Scheduled Tribes and Forest in India. It also suggests a model for future direction.
This presentation was made to the senior Indian Forest Officers in Indira National Forest Academy,Dehradun
4. Development Social Inequity Source: Planning Commision,2008 Incidence of overall under-nutrition (under weight) is significantly higher among ST children than among others. ST children also have a much higher incidence of anaemia. Incidence of stunting and wasting much higher among ST children. The proportion of ST children, aged 12-23 months who received basic vaccinations, is much lower than the rest of the population. 18% STs 51 % Deliveries in a health facility 43.8 STs 36.1 Infant mortality rate (2005/6 National Family Health Survey 3 ) 47% Rajasthan 37% Orissa 37% Andhra Pradesh 52% Chhattisgarh 41% Madhya Pradesh 41% Jharkhand 28% Bihar 47% Overall for tribal people 65% Proportion of literates (Census 2001 National Average
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6. Report of National Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, Government of India, 2005 Health Inequity
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8. Tribes Development is not necessarily forest Dependent/Philanthropy Low Cost Technology, Equitable Market and Inclusive Policies Strengthen Culture Nature Nurture
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11. Policy Assumptions Before 31 st December 2008 and After 4 th November 2009 - ? Homogeneous Management Capability Panchayat “ Whose Brain & Brawn” Homogeneous demands of forest/land products Tribes “ Stomach of Poor” Homogeneous Supply of public good Forest “ Lungs of Earth” Assumptions Stakes
13. Contextualizing Tribes and Forests Incentives Adopted from Olson Forest Tribes Key Incentives Purposive incentives - Accomplishment of a significant goal for the common good Solidarity incentives - Intangible rewards available only to coalition members Material incentives -Rewards of money, products, jobs, collective platform
14. Contextualizing Tribes & Forests Partnership Adopted form Ostrom High Medium Low Key Activities Dispersion - extent to which members live in geographic proximity to one another Homogeneity - extent to which overlaps in knowledge, interest, status Multiple Function - extent to which social relationships serve economic and emotions Reciprocity - extent to which resource/support are both given and received
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16. Value of Public Good + Selective Benefits - Cost of Participation = Individual Benefits Contextualizing Tribes & Forests Concern and Consequence
17. 165 Districts Now 222 Contextualizing Tribes & Forests Concern and Consequence
21. Evolve a New School of Thought Realistic Tribes & Peasants exercise sovereign rights over woodland Populist Guha,1990 State Management of ecologically sensitive & strategically valuable Forest, allowing other areas to remain under communal system of management Pragmatic Total State Control over forest Annexationist
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26. “ The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them”… Albert Einstein Thank You !