Rajagopal Devara , Secretary , Tribal Development Department , Maharashtra State , INDIA

Tribes of Maharashtra

Madhya Pradesh

Maharashtra

Odisha

Rajasthan

Gujarat

Jharkhand

Chhattisgarh

Andhra Pradesh

West Bengal

Karnataka

Assam

Meghalaya

Rest

0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0

14.7%

10.1%

9.2%

8.9%

8.6 %

8.3%

7.5 %

5.7 %

5.1 %

4.1 %

3.7 %

2.5 %

11.6 %

INDIA-Scheduled Tribe Population Distribution (%)

India : Schedules Tribe (Indigenous) Population Distribution

Tribal Demographics of Maharashtra

Maharashtra accounts for 10.06 % of the Scheduled Tribe population of India

47 Tribes including 3 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG)

Maharashtra State, Second largest Tribal Population in the country

ST Population (%)

Districts

5 and below 165.1 to 10 710.1 to 20 520.1 and above

7

ST Population (%)

Districts

5 and below 165.1 to 10 710.1 to 20 520.1 and above

7

Key Features of Tribal Area

In Maharashtra State, tribals mainly reside in the forest ranges of Sahyadri, Satpura and Gondwana.

Deep ravines and thick jungles have added to the hardships of the tribal life. But hardships have made tribes of Maharashtra tough, enduring and independent in nature.

Naturally they are exposed to the fury of nature, heavy showers in the rainy season, cold winds in winter and scorching heat in summer.

Continuous contact with the nature is the redeeming feature of the otherwise hard life of a tribal.

Dhodia tribe at work

Kokana tribe woman working

Major Tribes in Maharashtra

Name of Tribe Population in MN

Population %

Bhil 2.58 25.04

Gond/Rajgond 1.61 15.65

Koli Mahadev 1.45 14.12

Warli 0.79 7.70

Kokana 0.68 6.65

Thakur 0.56 5.49

Andh 0.47 4.59

Other Tribes 2.14 20.75

Total 10.33 100.00

Source: Census of India 2011

Bhil Tribal Family

Warli Tribal Woman

In India there are – 75 PvTGs In Maharashtra – 3 PVTGs

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG)

Characterization of Tribal groups as PTGs is based on

Pre-agricultural level of technology Low Level of Literacy Stagnant or diminishing population

Katkari - Thane & Raigad Districts

Madia Gond - Gadchiroli District

Kolams - Yavatmal District

Malnutrition in STs, comparison with general

Male Female Total0

102030405060708090

10088.4

75.982.3

74.3

5765.7

General ST

Literacy Rate

Perc

enta

ge

Literacy rate of STs in comparison with general pubic

Source :(RSOC 2015)

Literacy & Health Status of Tribals in Maharashtra

Stunting ( Ht for age below 2SD)

Wasting (Wt for ht -2 SD)

Underweight (Wt for age -2 SD)

05

1015202530354045

34.5

16.921.3

38.7

21.9

32.3

For State For ST

Tribal Economy in India : Livelihood from Agriculture

Traditionally the Indian economy is forest and agriculture based

Traditional agriculture was initiated since Indian civilization, when tribal communities learned knowledge of agriculture from Rushi or sage lived in forest areas by constructing their shelters known as Ashram.

The economy of most tribes is based on agriculture produce, collection of minor forest produce from forest and hunting of birds/ wild animals

In Maharashtra, nearly 85 percent of the tribal population is engaged in Agriculture

Out of this 40 Percent are farmers and 45 Percent are agricultural labourers

Small and uneconomical landholdings because of which their crop yield is less

Lands are invariably located in climatic risk-prone regions making agricultural production systems even more vulnerable and unstable

Most of these communities inhabit fringe forest settlements and degraded lands which have low productivity and high vulnerability to erosion.

Climate Challenges : Climatically challenged tribal hamlets are witnessing increasingly erratic rainfall, heat waves and other climatic risks

Tribal Agriculture : Challenges

Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, enacted the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, also known as the Forest Rights Act (FRA) :

The way to recognize the rights of tribal people, especially forest dwellers, over ancestral land and secure their right to earn a livelihood from forests

This Act is crucial to the rights of millions of tribalsTo address the issues of Conservation and management of the

Natural Resources and conservation governance of India. To address the livelihood security of the people, leading to poverty

alleviation and pro poor growth

To empower and strengthen the local self governance

We perceive this Act as a potential tool

Forest Rights Act (FRA)

Forest Rights Act (FRA)

Individual Forest Rights

Community Forest Rights

Forest Rights Act (FRA) : Implementation

Process Initatipon by Village Level committee

Record verification by Sub Divisional Level Committee in District

Final Claim approval by Ditrict level committee

Forest Rights Act (FRA) : Implementation Challenges

Multi Department Synchronization

Harmonization

Life & Culture of Tribes in Maharashtra

Nature Worship by Kolam tribe

Tribal woman in traditional costumes and Jewellery

Bhil Woman in Kitchen

Life & Culture of Tribes in Maharashtra

Koli Mahadev Couple engaged in agriculture

Kolami Traditional DanceMarriage Ceremony of Kolam

Tribal Arts - Maharashtra

Warli Painting Wood Carving

Bamboo work• Wood is the single largest material

available and used by the tribals in their daily life.

• The wooden articles of daily use  include agricultural implements, huts, idols of gods masks & ther utility articles made of wood

Chandradev (Moongod)

Combs are carved out by the men for their women.

Their traditional knowledge about bamboo-work includes, cutting a bamboo without damaging the roots of bamboo cluster , making baskets and doors from green bamboo without using a single nail or hinges, purely from bamboo material.

• Warli painting is a tribal art mostly done by Adivasi (TRIBAL )from North Sahyadri Range, Maharashtra in India

• The painting is done on an austere mud base using one color, white, with occasional dots in red and yellow.

Future Challenges

Parameter 1992 2014 2023 (Projection)

Population (MN) 7.3 10.5 12.3

Budget outlay in USD (MN) 32.27 727.27 1068.64

Key Constraint Funds Capacity Expectations

Outcomes

Focus S S+D S+D+A

S- Survival, D- Development, A- aspirational

Key Challenges of Tribal Area

Survival

Limited livelihood opportunities• Dwindling forest

resources• Displacement

Over exploitation• Timber plantation• Bamboo for paper

millsChronic health issues• Malnutrition• Genetic disorders

– Sickle cell anaemia, Thalassemia

Conflicts

Identity• Pseudo

tribalism

Governance• Naxalism• Irrigation

projects• National Parks

and Wild life sanctuaries

Developmental Deficits

Human Resource• Education,

Health, Employment

Infrastructure• Communication,

Electricity, Water

Institutions• Financial, Social

Aspirational

Preserving Cultural Heritage• Tribal Dances and

Art forms• Documentation of

traditional values and structuresParticipation in all

walks of life• Government,

Business, Professional

Inadequate alternate vocational skills• Attitude• Opportunities

Thank you….

Tribals of MaharashtraChildren of Nature , People of God

Bonded by Tribal Values,Guided by Nature,Governed by God,