NC Saxena Presentation

TRIBAL & FOREST DEVELOPMENT IN CENTRAL INDIA: 

1 TRIBAL & FOREST DEVELOPMENT IN CENTRAL INDIA Naresh C. Saxena Dec 2010

Share in total tribal population of India: 

2 Share in total tribal population of India

Slide 3: 

3 Proportion of ST population to total state population

Slide 4: 

4 4

Slide 5: 

5 Indian Forest Cover

Forest – tribal linkages: 

6 Forest – tribal linkages

Slide 7: 

7 Social groups 1993-94 2004-2005 Percentage Share in Percentage Share in Total Rural Population BPL Total Rural Population BPL Scheduled tribes 10.8 48.8 10.5 47.6 Scheduled castes 21.1 45.7 20.4 36.4 Others 68.1 28.3 69.1 23.2 All households 100.0 34.2 100.0 28.5

Slide 8: 

8 Literacy Rates (in per cent) 1971 1981 1991 2001 Total Population 30 36 52 65 Scheduled Tribes 11 16 30 47 18 Gap 18 20 23

Unresolved Issues: 

9 Unresolved Issues Land alienation & indebtedness Tribals’ access to forests Lack of proper rehabilitation after involuntary displacement Ineffective implementation of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 & FRA 2006 Poor programme delivery, absenteeism Huge surrenders and diversion of funds Insurgency & Salwa judum Where is the National Tribal Policy?

Kendu leaf collection in Orissa: 

10 Kendu leaf collection in Orissa 15 lakh poorest - mostly women Orissa leaves of a better quality than AP and MP, yet lower wages Govt gets 150 crores as royalty - for every Rs to plucker royalty is 3 Rs Royalty on Bauxite is Rs 30 per tonne, on KL 12,000 Rs per tonne

Cashew plantations in Orissa : 

11 11 Cashew plantations in Orissa Cashew plantation raised by the Cashew Development Corporation on 120,000 hectares of “Government Wastelands” on tribal lands Tribals shifted to hills, which led to soil degradation Corporation made losses, it gives annual leases for harvesting of cashew crops to private parties Often such plantations are in a degraded condition It is ironical that these plantations that deprived the tribals of their possession were funded by a scheme called, ‘Economic Rehabilitation of the Rural Poor’. Mid-term Review of the 9 th Plan

OLD FOREST POLICY BEFORE 1988 : 

12 OLD FOREST POLICY BEFORE 1988 FOREST LANDS TO PRODUCE TIMBER PRIVATE & COMMON LANDS TO PRODUCE FUELWOOD 12

FOREST POLICY 1988: 

FOREST POLICY 1988 Forest lands to produce fuelwood and subsistence goods Private lands to produce timber and industrial raw material

Changes in Forest Policy: 

14 14 Changes in Forest Policy Before 1988 - to be saved from local people for urban - industrial consumer; vs. And now Forests to be saved by local communities & with them from illegal poachers for livelihood needs largest experiment in participatory forest management launched in 1990, but has not worked due to governance issues

Forest Policy 1950-1988: 

Forest Policy 1950-1988 Scientific, forestry = sustained yield of timber through felling Convert ‘Low’ value mixed forests into ‘high’ value plantation Plant species from which people get nothing-teak, eucalypts, pines Nationalise private forest Nationalise forest products Subsidise supplies to Industries Short term leases to industries Set up commercial corporations Poor allocation of funds

The New Forest Policy 1988: 

16 16 Forest lands for environment & to produce fuelwood and subsistence goods Private lands to produce timber and industrial raw material Environment and basic needs given highest policy Economic benefits last priority Tribals’ needs first charge on forests Clear felling of natural forests banned Exotic species cannot be introduced in forests No Mining leases unless sufficient safeguards Industry to depend on farmers for raw material No subsidy to industries The New Forest Policy 1988

MFPs in Scheduled Areas Act & reality: 

17 17 MFPs in Scheduled Areas Act & reality MFPs are to be owned by panchayats & Gram Sabha but Several MFPs are still ‘nationalised’; Ownership subjected to existing laws, such as Maharshtra Forest Produce Act, 1997 Controversy about definition, ‘MFP should be defined as all gatherable biomass collected from living trees and forest areas on a sustained and non-destructive basis’

NTFPs - problems: 

18 NTFPs - p roblems Monopoly with traders, industry and govt. parastatals Restriction on self-collection, processing, storage & sale Distorted markets even for non-nationalised products Erratic supply of raw material Exploitation by traders No arrangement for credit Women entrepreneurs unable to look for far-off markets Limited bargaining capacity Local supply in excess of local demand Seasonality Policy for foodgrains vs policy for NTFPs

Forest Rights Act, 2006: 

Forest Rights Act, 2006 Seen as a patta giving Act No focus on community management Gram Sabha are not being called at village/hamlet level Community management clause is missing in the claim form No focus on increasing MFP production or access Marketing issues ignored 19

Role of the Ministry: 

Role of the Ministry Should do periodical assessment of schemes, and put pressure on other Ministries to improve their performance Ministry should be headed by a high profile Minister, and officials should not view their posting as a punishment posting Ministry is surrounded by ‘fake’ NGOs, who waste government resources It should at least spend the allocated funds! 20

Thank You: 

21 Thank You 21