Socio-Economic Status of Tribal People: A Case Study on Kandha Tribal of Rayagada.

Abstract

The Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) of Odisha assume special significance because of their being one of the most marginalisedcommunities of the country. Living in the far flung areas these tribal groups are the first to be hit by vagaries of nature, such as drought, heat stroke, infectious diseases, economic and cultural displacement, etc. Special attention and care is required in the development process and also in view of the Prime Minister’s initiatives on inclusive growth. Odisha has the distinction of having thirteen Primitive Tribal Communities spread over twelve districts of the state. Out of these Kandha is one of the most vulnerable primitive tribals in Odisha. The total tribal population of India is estimated at 84,326,240 inhabitants, accounting for about 8.2% of the total population (2001 census). The tribal communities are spread over 15 per cent of the geographical areas in various ecological and geo-climatic conditions varying from forest, hills, plateau, and plains. They are still living with primitive agricultural practices with stagnant population, lowest literacy rates and are at the lowest rung of the human index. 75 groups/subgroups of tribal communities have been identified as Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) on the basis of criteria adopted by the Planning Commission. Out of 62 tribal communities of Orissa, 13 have been identified as PTGs. Odisha State also has the peculiarity of having the largest number of tribes and PTGs in the country. PTGs are a small group in pockets confined to far-flung inaccessible areas with precarious living conditions. By and large, they have maintained their cultural group identity with their distinctive living pattern. From the Five Year Plan, a number of micro-projects have been launched by the Government to ameliorate their living conditions and bring them into the mainstream of development. The present study was confined to three Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) namely; Kandha tribal in Rayagada districts of Odisha. A sample of 100 respondents was drawn from the universe. The study is based on both quantitative and qualitative data collected from households, Villages eminent persons and published Page | xidocuments of Government etc. Primary data was collected from the selected households of PTGs through Schedule, Interview, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The secondary data were collected from published and unpublished documents of Government Departments and private agencies such as, Census Report, Statistical Abstract of Odisha, District Statistical Hand Book, District at a Glance, District Census Handbook, District Gazetteer, and information collected from offices like District Collectors, Blocks of District, Panchayat offices etc. These data were based on the socio- economic condition and livelihood condition of selected PTG since last 10 years. The collected data was edited and processing and analysis of data were carried out to find the result with the help of Microsoft Excel.