Kurukshetra Magazine September 2022 - 1 | Monthly Yojana & Kurukshetra Magazine (English) - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 2


A Journal on Rural Development 
Vol. 70  No. 11  Pages  52
September 2022
Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra seeks to carry the message of Rural Development to all people. It serves as a forum for free, frank and serious discussion on the problems of Rural 
Development with special focus on Rural Uplift.
The views expressed by the authors in the articles are their own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government or the organisations they work for.
The readers are requested to verify the claims in the advertisements regarding career guidance books/institutions. Kurukshetra does not own responsibility. Maps 
used  are for illustration & study purpose and may not strictly conform to the official map. Images, graphics and illustrations, wherever used, are mostly sourced from 
government channels and are indicative in nature. Final  Editing rights will vest with Kurukshetra Team.
Sales Emporia : ? Delhi - BM (I/c), Publications Division, CGO Complex, Soochna Bhavan, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003 (011-24365609); 
Hall No. 196, Old Secretariat, Delhi 110054 (011-23890205) ? Kolkata - BM (I/c),  Publications Division, 8, Esplanade East, Kolkata-700069 
(033-22482576) ? Mumbai - BM (I/c), Publications Division, 701, C-Wing, 7th Floor, Kendriya Sadan, Belapur, Navi Mumbai-400614 
(022-27570686) ? Chennai - BM (I/c), Publications Division, ‘A’ Wing, Rajaji Bhawan, Besant Nagar, Chennai - 600090 (044-24917673)  
? Thiruvananthapuram - BM, Publications Division, Press Road, Near Govt. Press, Thiruvananthpuram - 6950001 (0471-2330650)  
? Hyderabad - BM, Publications Division, Room No. 204, 2nd Floor, C.G.O. Towers, Kavadiguda, Hyderabad-500080 (040-27535383)   
? Bengaluru - BM (I/c), Sales Unit,  Floor, ‘F’ Wing, Kendriya Sadan, Koramangala, Bengaluru - 560034 (080-25537244)  
? Patna - BM, Publications Division, Bihar State Co-operative, Bank Building, Ashoka Rajpath, Patna-800004 (0612-2675823)  
? Lucknow - BM, Publications Division, Hall No. 1, 2nd Floor, Kendriya Bhawan, sector – H, Aliganj, Lucknow - 226024 (0522-2325455)  
? Ahmedabad -  Sales Unit, Publications Division, 4-C, Neptune Tower, 4th Floor, Nr HP Petrol Pump, Nehru Bridge Corner, Ashram Road, 
Ahmedabad Gujarat -380009 (079-26588669)  ? Guwahati - Publications Division, Assam Khadi and Village Industries Board, Ground 
Floor, MRD Road, Chandmari, Guwahati - 781003 (0361- 2668237/2664613)
CONTENTS
? Tribal Development Strategies   
Dr. K. K. Tripathy  5
EDITOR 
Shiela Chaudhary 
Pankhuri Awasthi
JOINT DIRECTOR (PRODUCTION)
D.K.C. Hrudhainath
COVER DESIGN
Rajender Kumar
EDITORIAL OFFICE
Room No. 653,  
Publications Division,  
Soochna Bhawan, C.G.O. Complex,  
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003 
Phone : 011-24362859  
Email : kurukshetrajournal@gmail.com
For Subscription Enquiries,  
Grievances, Renewals and Agency  
Information, Please Contact:
Journals Unit 
Publications Division, Room No. 779,  
Soochna Bhawan, C.G.O. Complex,  
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110 003
(Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM-6:00 PM)
Phone : 24367453  FAX: 24365610
Email : pdjucir@gmail.com
Website : publicationsdivision.nic.in
@publicationsdivision
@DPD_India
@dpd_India
For Online Sale, please log on to  
bharatkosh.gov.in/product, and for  
e-books, please visit Google Play,  
Kobo or Amazon.
Subscription* :
Inland
1 Year : ` 230
2 Years : ` 430
3 Years : ` 610
Abroad (Air Mail)
One Year
` 530 (SAARC Countries)
` 730 (Other Countries)
* Revised from April 2016  
   Issue Onwards
? Livelihood Opportunities for Tribals   
Ramrao Mundhe 
Dr. Muniraju, S.B 28
? Welfare of Tribes   
Asit Gopal 12
? Tribal Art and Culture  
Hemanth Menon 17
? Education for Tribals   
Rashi Sharma 
Purabi Pattanayak 34
? Tourism Potential in Tribal Regions  
Dr. Suyash Yadav 41
? Reconsidering Indigenous Knowledge 
System  
Partha Pratim Sahu 46
? Changing Lives of North-eastern Tribes  
Dr. Tapati Baruah Kashyap 21
Page 3


A Journal on Rural Development 
Vol. 70  No. 11  Pages  52
September 2022
Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra seeks to carry the message of Rural Development to all people. It serves as a forum for free, frank and serious discussion on the problems of Rural 
Development with special focus on Rural Uplift.
The views expressed by the authors in the articles are their own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government or the organisations they work for.
The readers are requested to verify the claims in the advertisements regarding career guidance books/institutions. Kurukshetra does not own responsibility. Maps 
used  are for illustration & study purpose and may not strictly conform to the official map. Images, graphics and illustrations, wherever used, are mostly sourced from 
government channels and are indicative in nature. Final  Editing rights will vest with Kurukshetra Team.
Sales Emporia : ? Delhi - BM (I/c), Publications Division, CGO Complex, Soochna Bhavan, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003 (011-24365609); 
Hall No. 196, Old Secretariat, Delhi 110054 (011-23890205) ? Kolkata - BM (I/c),  Publications Division, 8, Esplanade East, Kolkata-700069 
(033-22482576) ? Mumbai - BM (I/c), Publications Division, 701, C-Wing, 7th Floor, Kendriya Sadan, Belapur, Navi Mumbai-400614 
(022-27570686) ? Chennai - BM (I/c), Publications Division, ‘A’ Wing, Rajaji Bhawan, Besant Nagar, Chennai - 600090 (044-24917673)  
? Thiruvananthapuram - BM, Publications Division, Press Road, Near Govt. Press, Thiruvananthpuram - 6950001 (0471-2330650)  
? Hyderabad - BM, Publications Division, Room No. 204, 2nd Floor, C.G.O. Towers, Kavadiguda, Hyderabad-500080 (040-27535383)   
? Bengaluru - BM (I/c), Sales Unit,  Floor, ‘F’ Wing, Kendriya Sadan, Koramangala, Bengaluru - 560034 (080-25537244)  
? Patna - BM, Publications Division, Bihar State Co-operative, Bank Building, Ashoka Rajpath, Patna-800004 (0612-2675823)  
? Lucknow - BM, Publications Division, Hall No. 1, 2nd Floor, Kendriya Bhawan, sector – H, Aliganj, Lucknow - 226024 (0522-2325455)  
? Ahmedabad -  Sales Unit, Publications Division, 4-C, Neptune Tower, 4th Floor, Nr HP Petrol Pump, Nehru Bridge Corner, Ashram Road, 
Ahmedabad Gujarat -380009 (079-26588669)  ? Guwahati - Publications Division, Assam Khadi and Village Industries Board, Ground 
Floor, MRD Road, Chandmari, Guwahati - 781003 (0361- 2668237/2664613)
CONTENTS
? Tribal Development Strategies   
Dr. K. K. Tripathy  5
EDITOR 
Shiela Chaudhary 
Pankhuri Awasthi
JOINT DIRECTOR (PRODUCTION)
D.K.C. Hrudhainath
COVER DESIGN
Rajender Kumar
EDITORIAL OFFICE
Room No. 653,  
Publications Division,  
Soochna Bhawan, C.G.O. Complex,  
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003 
Phone : 011-24362859  
Email : kurukshetrajournal@gmail.com
For Subscription Enquiries,  
Grievances, Renewals and Agency  
Information, Please Contact:
Journals Unit 
Publications Division, Room No. 779,  
Soochna Bhawan, C.G.O. Complex,  
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110 003
(Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM-6:00 PM)
Phone : 24367453  FAX: 24365610
Email : pdjucir@gmail.com
Website : publicationsdivision.nic.in
@publicationsdivision
@DPD_India
@dpd_India
For Online Sale, please log on to  
bharatkosh.gov.in/product, and for  
e-books, please visit Google Play,  
Kobo or Amazon.
Subscription* :
Inland
1 Year : ` 230
2 Years : ` 430
3 Years : ` 610
Abroad (Air Mail)
One Year
` 530 (SAARC Countries)
` 730 (Other Countries)
* Revised from April 2016  
   Issue Onwards
? Livelihood Opportunities for Tribals   
Ramrao Mundhe 
Dr. Muniraju, S.B 28
? Welfare of Tribes   
Asit Gopal 12
? Tribal Art and Culture  
Hemanth Menon 17
? Education for Tribals   
Rashi Sharma 
Purabi Pattanayak 34
? Tourism Potential in Tribal Regions  
Dr. Suyash Yadav 41
? Reconsidering Indigenous Knowledge 
System  
Partha Pratim Sahu 46
? Changing Lives of North-eastern Tribes  
Dr. Tapati Baruah Kashyap 21
Kurukshetra      September  2022 4
India is home to the second-largest tribal population in the world. Scheduled Tribes 
(ST) comprise of about 8.61 percent of the total population according to the 2011 Census. 
The tribes of India are the oldest inhabitants of the country.  They are vibrant, culturally 
rich, have different traditions, cultures, lifestyles, beliefs, food, languages, rituals, and a 
different approach to their lives. This is evident in their fairs, festivals, music, and dance 
forms. For millennia, despite urbanisation, loss of habitat, and sinking livelihoods, many 
tribal communities continue to practice their traditions and conserve the ancient wisdom 
inherited from their ancestors. Today, tribal groups are getting special attention from the 
Government. The theme of this issue of Kurukshetra is Tribal Life and Culture.
Our lead article Tribal Development Strategies gives us a brief overview of 
Constitutional safeguards and Development Plans and Programmes undertaken by the 
Government for the welfare of tribal population from the beginning of the First Five-Year 
Plan (1951-56) to the Twelfth Plan (2012-17) and also the current schemes and missions 
implemented and executed by the Government. The article Tribal Art and Culture through 
a random selection of a few tribal groups provides an introductory insight into Indian 
tribal culture. It provides us a glimpse of pictorial art and culture of some tribes like Bhil, 
Gond, Warli, etc., and dance forms of a few tribes such as Kalbelia, Kuruba, Bhimmas, etc. 
It shows the richness and diversity of India's tribal culture.
The North-eastern region is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse 
regions in Asia, and each state takes pride in a range of cultures and traditions. The 
percentage of the tribal population in the seven states of the region is also very high. 
The article Changing Lives of Tribal Villagers focuses on how the Flagship programme of 
Government of India, Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY) is enriching the lives of 
the tribal population in seven states of North-east.
Various research studies have shown that there is a correlation between literacy 
and poverty. Literacy rates of some sections of the society viz., Scheduled Castes and 
Scheduled Tribes continue to be lower than that of all communities is an area of concern. 
The article Education for Tribals states that the ultimate ambition of any education 
system is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school 
education including access to schooling facilities in order to ensure that no child loses 
any opportunity to learn and excel because of the circumstances of birth or background. 
Therefore, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been implementing various schemes relating 
to education, health, economic empowerment, etc. in the Scheduled Tribe-dominated 
areas of the country. Many schemes are implemented with a specific target of uplifting 
education amongst tribal communities.
With this issue, we hope that our readers will get an insight into the beautiful life and 
culture of our tribal communities that live far away from this tech-savvy world and get to 
know about the efforts that our Government and different organisations are making to 
ameliorate the difficulties of our tribal population.
Happy Reading!
Page 4


A Journal on Rural Development 
Vol. 70  No. 11  Pages  52
September 2022
Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra seeks to carry the message of Rural Development to all people. It serves as a forum for free, frank and serious discussion on the problems of Rural 
Development with special focus on Rural Uplift.
The views expressed by the authors in the articles are their own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government or the organisations they work for.
The readers are requested to verify the claims in the advertisements regarding career guidance books/institutions. Kurukshetra does not own responsibility. Maps 
used  are for illustration & study purpose and may not strictly conform to the official map. Images, graphics and illustrations, wherever used, are mostly sourced from 
government channels and are indicative in nature. Final  Editing rights will vest with Kurukshetra Team.
Sales Emporia : ? Delhi - BM (I/c), Publications Division, CGO Complex, Soochna Bhavan, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003 (011-24365609); 
Hall No. 196, Old Secretariat, Delhi 110054 (011-23890205) ? Kolkata - BM (I/c),  Publications Division, 8, Esplanade East, Kolkata-700069 
(033-22482576) ? Mumbai - BM (I/c), Publications Division, 701, C-Wing, 7th Floor, Kendriya Sadan, Belapur, Navi Mumbai-400614 
(022-27570686) ? Chennai - BM (I/c), Publications Division, ‘A’ Wing, Rajaji Bhawan, Besant Nagar, Chennai - 600090 (044-24917673)  
? Thiruvananthapuram - BM, Publications Division, Press Road, Near Govt. Press, Thiruvananthpuram - 6950001 (0471-2330650)  
? Hyderabad - BM, Publications Division, Room No. 204, 2nd Floor, C.G.O. Towers, Kavadiguda, Hyderabad-500080 (040-27535383)   
? Bengaluru - BM (I/c), Sales Unit,  Floor, ‘F’ Wing, Kendriya Sadan, Koramangala, Bengaluru - 560034 (080-25537244)  
? Patna - BM, Publications Division, Bihar State Co-operative, Bank Building, Ashoka Rajpath, Patna-800004 (0612-2675823)  
? Lucknow - BM, Publications Division, Hall No. 1, 2nd Floor, Kendriya Bhawan, sector – H, Aliganj, Lucknow - 226024 (0522-2325455)  
? Ahmedabad -  Sales Unit, Publications Division, 4-C, Neptune Tower, 4th Floor, Nr HP Petrol Pump, Nehru Bridge Corner, Ashram Road, 
Ahmedabad Gujarat -380009 (079-26588669)  ? Guwahati - Publications Division, Assam Khadi and Village Industries Board, Ground 
Floor, MRD Road, Chandmari, Guwahati - 781003 (0361- 2668237/2664613)
CONTENTS
? Tribal Development Strategies   
Dr. K. K. Tripathy  5
EDITOR 
Shiela Chaudhary 
Pankhuri Awasthi
JOINT DIRECTOR (PRODUCTION)
D.K.C. Hrudhainath
COVER DESIGN
Rajender Kumar
EDITORIAL OFFICE
Room No. 653,  
Publications Division,  
Soochna Bhawan, C.G.O. Complex,  
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003 
Phone : 011-24362859  
Email : kurukshetrajournal@gmail.com
For Subscription Enquiries,  
Grievances, Renewals and Agency  
Information, Please Contact:
Journals Unit 
Publications Division, Room No. 779,  
Soochna Bhawan, C.G.O. Complex,  
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110 003
(Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM-6:00 PM)
Phone : 24367453  FAX: 24365610
Email : pdjucir@gmail.com
Website : publicationsdivision.nic.in
@publicationsdivision
@DPD_India
@dpd_India
For Online Sale, please log on to  
bharatkosh.gov.in/product, and for  
e-books, please visit Google Play,  
Kobo or Amazon.
Subscription* :
Inland
1 Year : ` 230
2 Years : ` 430
3 Years : ` 610
Abroad (Air Mail)
One Year
` 530 (SAARC Countries)
` 730 (Other Countries)
* Revised from April 2016  
   Issue Onwards
? Livelihood Opportunities for Tribals   
Ramrao Mundhe 
Dr. Muniraju, S.B 28
? Welfare of Tribes   
Asit Gopal 12
? Tribal Art and Culture  
Hemanth Menon 17
? Education for Tribals   
Rashi Sharma 
Purabi Pattanayak 34
? Tourism Potential in Tribal Regions  
Dr. Suyash Yadav 41
? Reconsidering Indigenous Knowledge 
System  
Partha Pratim Sahu 46
? Changing Lives of North-eastern Tribes  
Dr. Tapati Baruah Kashyap 21
Kurukshetra      September  2022 4
India is home to the second-largest tribal population in the world. Scheduled Tribes 
(ST) comprise of about 8.61 percent of the total population according to the 2011 Census. 
The tribes of India are the oldest inhabitants of the country.  They are vibrant, culturally 
rich, have different traditions, cultures, lifestyles, beliefs, food, languages, rituals, and a 
different approach to their lives. This is evident in their fairs, festivals, music, and dance 
forms. For millennia, despite urbanisation, loss of habitat, and sinking livelihoods, many 
tribal communities continue to practice their traditions and conserve the ancient wisdom 
inherited from their ancestors. Today, tribal groups are getting special attention from the 
Government. The theme of this issue of Kurukshetra is Tribal Life and Culture.
Our lead article Tribal Development Strategies gives us a brief overview of 
Constitutional safeguards and Development Plans and Programmes undertaken by the 
Government for the welfare of tribal population from the beginning of the First Five-Year 
Plan (1951-56) to the Twelfth Plan (2012-17) and also the current schemes and missions 
implemented and executed by the Government. The article Tribal Art and Culture through 
a random selection of a few tribal groups provides an introductory insight into Indian 
tribal culture. It provides us a glimpse of pictorial art and culture of some tribes like Bhil, 
Gond, Warli, etc., and dance forms of a few tribes such as Kalbelia, Kuruba, Bhimmas, etc. 
It shows the richness and diversity of India's tribal culture.
The North-eastern region is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse 
regions in Asia, and each state takes pride in a range of cultures and traditions. The 
percentage of the tribal population in the seven states of the region is also very high. 
The article Changing Lives of Tribal Villagers focuses on how the Flagship programme of 
Government of India, Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY) is enriching the lives of 
the tribal population in seven states of North-east.
Various research studies have shown that there is a correlation between literacy 
and poverty. Literacy rates of some sections of the society viz., Scheduled Castes and 
Scheduled Tribes continue to be lower than that of all communities is an area of concern. 
The article Education for Tribals states that the ultimate ambition of any education 
system is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school 
education including access to schooling facilities in order to ensure that no child loses 
any opportunity to learn and excel because of the circumstances of birth or background. 
Therefore, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been implementing various schemes relating 
to education, health, economic empowerment, etc. in the Scheduled Tribe-dominated 
areas of the country. Many schemes are implemented with a specific target of uplifting 
education amongst tribal communities.
With this issue, we hope that our readers will get an insight into the beautiful life and 
culture of our tribal communities that live far away from this tech-savvy world and get to 
know about the efforts that our Government and different organisations are making to 
ameliorate the difficulties of our tribal population.
Happy Reading!
Kurukshetra      September  2022 5
Dr. K. K. Tripathy
The Government of India’s planned approach expedited the overall development of the Scheduled Tribes (ST) of the country, 
identified the problems and designed the ways and means to overcome the problems through various social, economic 
and political initiatives. While socio-economic initiatives have been implemented through schematic instrumentations by 
the government, there is a strong need to popularise a tribal-specific participatory self-governance system where the STs 
will manage their own resources and empower themselves in a participative and tribal-managed development process. 
Educational infrastructure needs to take into consideration how to enhance skills and the knowledge base of ST youth in the 
changing and competitive world through the provision of modern, need-based training and skill upgradation. 
Tribal Development Strategies
evelopment of tribes of India has 
remained a central theme in various 
perspective Five-Year Plans and Annual 
Plans. However, challenges do exist 
today for India’s Scheduled Tribes (STs) due to their 
traditional lifestyles, remoteness of habitations, 
dispersed population, and frequent displacement.
STs constitute 8.6 percent (10.45 crore) of the total 
population of the country (Census, 2011). Around 
92 percent of the ST population lives in rural areas. 
While the proportion of the ST population to the total 
population has marked an increasing trend from 6.9 
percent in 1961 to 8.6 percent in 2011, the socio-
economic progress of ST people vis-à-vis the rest of 
the population in the country remained skewed on 
various development parameters. In this context, 
this article reviews various safeguards enshrined in 
our Constitution and the strategies followed, policies 
framed and programmes launched for the welfare of 
the STs.
Constitutional Safeguards
The framers and founding fathers of the 
Constitution of India appropriately recognised 
the special needs of the STs and made certain 
special safeguards not only to ensure social 
D
and economic justice but also to protect these 
communities from any other possible exploitation. 
While the Fundamental Rights conferred upon 
the citizens ensure their holistic development, 
Directive Principles of State Policy delineated in 
the Constitution prompt the State to create 
a conducive environment that its citizens can 
enjoy. Moreover, there are special provisions laid 
down in the Constitution for areas which have a 
predominance of ST population. Constitutional 
provisions for STs are enlisted in Table 1.
Development Plans and Programmes 
The policy makers and planners accorded 
utmost priority to the welfare and development of 
STs from the beginning of the First Five-Year Plan 
(1951-56). The Plan laid down the principle for 
suitably designing such plans and programmes that 
could adequately and appropriately cater to the 
needs of all the underprivileged. Besides, special 
provisions were initiated towards securing effective 
and intensified developmental drives for the all-
round development of STs. 
At the end of the First Plan, the Government 
recognised the need for a concrete, integrated 
developmental planning to improve the socio-
economic conditions of STs in the country. 
Consequently, during the Second Plan (1956-
61), the Government grouped development 
programmes in Scheduled areas under four heads 
– (a) communications, (b) education and culture, 
(c) development of tribal economy, and (d) health, 
housing and water supply. An emphasis was laid on 
economic development, with the focus on reducing 
economic inequalities in society. The development 
programmes for STs were planned, based on respect 
and understanding of their culture and traditions and 
Page 5


A Journal on Rural Development 
Vol. 70  No. 11  Pages  52
September 2022
Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra seeks to carry the message of Rural Development to all people. It serves as a forum for free, frank and serious discussion on the problems of Rural 
Development with special focus on Rural Uplift.
The views expressed by the authors in the articles are their own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government or the organisations they work for.
The readers are requested to verify the claims in the advertisements regarding career guidance books/institutions. Kurukshetra does not own responsibility. Maps 
used  are for illustration & study purpose and may not strictly conform to the official map. Images, graphics and illustrations, wherever used, are mostly sourced from 
government channels and are indicative in nature. Final  Editing rights will vest with Kurukshetra Team.
Sales Emporia : ? Delhi - BM (I/c), Publications Division, CGO Complex, Soochna Bhavan, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003 (011-24365609); 
Hall No. 196, Old Secretariat, Delhi 110054 (011-23890205) ? Kolkata - BM (I/c),  Publications Division, 8, Esplanade East, Kolkata-700069 
(033-22482576) ? Mumbai - BM (I/c), Publications Division, 701, C-Wing, 7th Floor, Kendriya Sadan, Belapur, Navi Mumbai-400614 
(022-27570686) ? Chennai - BM (I/c), Publications Division, ‘A’ Wing, Rajaji Bhawan, Besant Nagar, Chennai - 600090 (044-24917673)  
? Thiruvananthapuram - BM, Publications Division, Press Road, Near Govt. Press, Thiruvananthpuram - 6950001 (0471-2330650)  
? Hyderabad - BM, Publications Division, Room No. 204, 2nd Floor, C.G.O. Towers, Kavadiguda, Hyderabad-500080 (040-27535383)   
? Bengaluru - BM (I/c), Sales Unit,  Floor, ‘F’ Wing, Kendriya Sadan, Koramangala, Bengaluru - 560034 (080-25537244)  
? Patna - BM, Publications Division, Bihar State Co-operative, Bank Building, Ashoka Rajpath, Patna-800004 (0612-2675823)  
? Lucknow - BM, Publications Division, Hall No. 1, 2nd Floor, Kendriya Bhawan, sector – H, Aliganj, Lucknow - 226024 (0522-2325455)  
? Ahmedabad -  Sales Unit, Publications Division, 4-C, Neptune Tower, 4th Floor, Nr HP Petrol Pump, Nehru Bridge Corner, Ashram Road, 
Ahmedabad Gujarat -380009 (079-26588669)  ? Guwahati - Publications Division, Assam Khadi and Village Industries Board, Ground 
Floor, MRD Road, Chandmari, Guwahati - 781003 (0361- 2668237/2664613)
CONTENTS
? Tribal Development Strategies   
Dr. K. K. Tripathy  5
EDITOR 
Shiela Chaudhary 
Pankhuri Awasthi
JOINT DIRECTOR (PRODUCTION)
D.K.C. Hrudhainath
COVER DESIGN
Rajender Kumar
EDITORIAL OFFICE
Room No. 653,  
Publications Division,  
Soochna Bhawan, C.G.O. Complex,  
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003 
Phone : 011-24362859  
Email : kurukshetrajournal@gmail.com
For Subscription Enquiries,  
Grievances, Renewals and Agency  
Information, Please Contact:
Journals Unit 
Publications Division, Room No. 779,  
Soochna Bhawan, C.G.O. Complex,  
Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110 003
(Monday-Friday, 9:30 AM-6:00 PM)
Phone : 24367453  FAX: 24365610
Email : pdjucir@gmail.com
Website : publicationsdivision.nic.in
@publicationsdivision
@DPD_India
@dpd_India
For Online Sale, please log on to  
bharatkosh.gov.in/product, and for  
e-books, please visit Google Play,  
Kobo or Amazon.
Subscription* :
Inland
1 Year : ` 230
2 Years : ` 430
3 Years : ` 610
Abroad (Air Mail)
One Year
` 530 (SAARC Countries)
` 730 (Other Countries)
* Revised from April 2016  
   Issue Onwards
? Livelihood Opportunities for Tribals   
Ramrao Mundhe 
Dr. Muniraju, S.B 28
? Welfare of Tribes   
Asit Gopal 12
? Tribal Art and Culture  
Hemanth Menon 17
? Education for Tribals   
Rashi Sharma 
Purabi Pattanayak 34
? Tourism Potential in Tribal Regions  
Dr. Suyash Yadav 41
? Reconsidering Indigenous Knowledge 
System  
Partha Pratim Sahu 46
? Changing Lives of North-eastern Tribes  
Dr. Tapati Baruah Kashyap 21
Kurukshetra      September  2022 4
India is home to the second-largest tribal population in the world. Scheduled Tribes 
(ST) comprise of about 8.61 percent of the total population according to the 2011 Census. 
The tribes of India are the oldest inhabitants of the country.  They are vibrant, culturally 
rich, have different traditions, cultures, lifestyles, beliefs, food, languages, rituals, and a 
different approach to their lives. This is evident in their fairs, festivals, music, and dance 
forms. For millennia, despite urbanisation, loss of habitat, and sinking livelihoods, many 
tribal communities continue to practice their traditions and conserve the ancient wisdom 
inherited from their ancestors. Today, tribal groups are getting special attention from the 
Government. The theme of this issue of Kurukshetra is Tribal Life and Culture.
Our lead article Tribal Development Strategies gives us a brief overview of 
Constitutional safeguards and Development Plans and Programmes undertaken by the 
Government for the welfare of tribal population from the beginning of the First Five-Year 
Plan (1951-56) to the Twelfth Plan (2012-17) and also the current schemes and missions 
implemented and executed by the Government. The article Tribal Art and Culture through 
a random selection of a few tribal groups provides an introductory insight into Indian 
tribal culture. It provides us a glimpse of pictorial art and culture of some tribes like Bhil, 
Gond, Warli, etc., and dance forms of a few tribes such as Kalbelia, Kuruba, Bhimmas, etc. 
It shows the richness and diversity of India's tribal culture.
The North-eastern region is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse 
regions in Asia, and each state takes pride in a range of cultures and traditions. The 
percentage of the tribal population in the seven states of the region is also very high. 
The article Changing Lives of Tribal Villagers focuses on how the Flagship programme of 
Government of India, Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY) is enriching the lives of 
the tribal population in seven states of North-east.
Various research studies have shown that there is a correlation between literacy 
and poverty. Literacy rates of some sections of the society viz., Scheduled Castes and 
Scheduled Tribes continue to be lower than that of all communities is an area of concern. 
The article Education for Tribals states that the ultimate ambition of any education 
system is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school 
education including access to schooling facilities in order to ensure that no child loses 
any opportunity to learn and excel because of the circumstances of birth or background. 
Therefore, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been implementing various schemes relating 
to education, health, economic empowerment, etc. in the Scheduled Tribe-dominated 
areas of the country. Many schemes are implemented with a specific target of uplifting 
education amongst tribal communities.
With this issue, we hope that our readers will get an insight into the beautiful life and 
culture of our tribal communities that live far away from this tech-savvy world and get to 
know about the efforts that our Government and different organisations are making to 
ameliorate the difficulties of our tribal population.
Happy Reading!
Kurukshetra      September  2022 5
Dr. K. K. Tripathy
The Government of India’s planned approach expedited the overall development of the Scheduled Tribes (ST) of the country, 
identified the problems and designed the ways and means to overcome the problems through various social, economic 
and political initiatives. While socio-economic initiatives have been implemented through schematic instrumentations by 
the government, there is a strong need to popularise a tribal-specific participatory self-governance system where the STs 
will manage their own resources and empower themselves in a participative and tribal-managed development process. 
Educational infrastructure needs to take into consideration how to enhance skills and the knowledge base of ST youth in the 
changing and competitive world through the provision of modern, need-based training and skill upgradation. 
Tribal Development Strategies
evelopment of tribes of India has 
remained a central theme in various 
perspective Five-Year Plans and Annual 
Plans. However, challenges do exist 
today for India’s Scheduled Tribes (STs) due to their 
traditional lifestyles, remoteness of habitations, 
dispersed population, and frequent displacement.
STs constitute 8.6 percent (10.45 crore) of the total 
population of the country (Census, 2011). Around 
92 percent of the ST population lives in rural areas. 
While the proportion of the ST population to the total 
population has marked an increasing trend from 6.9 
percent in 1961 to 8.6 percent in 2011, the socio-
economic progress of ST people vis-à-vis the rest of 
the population in the country remained skewed on 
various development parameters. In this context, 
this article reviews various safeguards enshrined in 
our Constitution and the strategies followed, policies 
framed and programmes launched for the welfare of 
the STs.
Constitutional Safeguards
The framers and founding fathers of the 
Constitution of India appropriately recognised 
the special needs of the STs and made certain 
special safeguards not only to ensure social 
D
and economic justice but also to protect these 
communities from any other possible exploitation. 
While the Fundamental Rights conferred upon 
the citizens ensure their holistic development, 
Directive Principles of State Policy delineated in 
the Constitution prompt the State to create 
a conducive environment that its citizens can 
enjoy. Moreover, there are special provisions laid 
down in the Constitution for areas which have a 
predominance of ST population. Constitutional 
provisions for STs are enlisted in Table 1.
Development Plans and Programmes 
The policy makers and planners accorded 
utmost priority to the welfare and development of 
STs from the beginning of the First Five-Year Plan 
(1951-56). The Plan laid down the principle for 
suitably designing such plans and programmes that 
could adequately and appropriately cater to the 
needs of all the underprivileged. Besides, special 
provisions were initiated towards securing effective 
and intensified developmental drives for the all-
round development of STs. 
At the end of the First Plan, the Government 
recognised the need for a concrete, integrated 
developmental planning to improve the socio-
economic conditions of STs in the country. 
Consequently, during the Second Plan (1956-
61), the Government grouped development 
programmes in Scheduled areas under four heads 
– (a) communications, (b) education and culture, 
(c) development of tribal economy, and (d) health, 
housing and water supply. An emphasis was laid on 
economic development, with the focus on reducing 
economic inequalities in society. The development 
programmes for STs were planned, based on respect 
and understanding of their culture and traditions and 
Kurukshetra      September  2022 6
Table 1: Constitutional Provisions for Welfare of STs 
S. N. Article/Schedules Provisions in Brief
1 14 Equality before the law or the equal protection of laws 
2 15
Government not to discriminate against any citizen on the grounds of 
religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth 
3 15(4)
States can make any special provisions for the advancement of any socially 
and educationally backward classes of citizens including STs
4 16(4) Reservation of appointments or posts by States
5 38
State to strive to promote the welfare of its people by securing and 
protecting a social order
6 46
State to promote educational and economic interests of all the weaker 
sections including STs
7 164(1)
States with a large proportion of ST population (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and 
Odisha) shall have a Minister-in-charge of tribal welfare.
8 275(1)
Grants-in-aid for promoting the welfare of the STs and for raising the level 
of administration of the scheduled areas
9 330, 332 & 335
Reservations of seats for STs in the Lok Sabha, the State legislative 
assemblies and services
10 340
State to appoint a Commission to investigate the conditions of the socially 
and educationally backward classes
11 342 State to specify tribes or tribal communities as STs
12 275(1)
Grants from the consolidated funds of India each year to be released for 
promoting the welfare of STs
Schedule
13 Fifth
Prescriptions outlined for the administration of Scheduled Areas and the 
setting up of Tribal Advisory Councils for monitoring and advising the 
matters relating to welfare of the tribal community [Article 244(1)]
14 Sixth
Administration of Scheduled areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, 
and Mizoram by designating certain areas as Autonomous Districts and 
Autonomous Regions and also by constituting District Councils [Article 244(2)].
Constitutional Amendments
15
73
rd 
& 74
th 
Amendments & 
Panchayats (Extension 
to the  Scheduled ares 
Act 1996)
Major shift towards empowering and enabling the scheduled tribes to 
look after their own interest and welfare through their own initiative. PESA 
provides a constitutional, legal and policy framework to ensure sustainable 
autonomous tribal governance.
with an appreciation for their social, psychological 
and economic problems. The programmes on tribal 
welfare which were designed during the First Plan 
took an effective shape in 1961, the last year of the 
Second Plan, when the Government successfully 
opened 43 Special Multi-purpose Tribal Blocks, later 
termed as Tribal Development Blocks (TDBs). The 
Third Plan (1961-66) continued the plans and policies 
prescribed and followed during the Second Plan in 
order to provide equality and opportunities to STs.
The Fourth Plan (1969-74) vowed to realise 
a rapid rise in the standard of living of the people, 
ensuring equality and social justice to all. Six 
pilot projects in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya 
Pradesh and Odisha were set up in 1971-72. The 
Fifth Plan (1974-78) launched the Tribal Sub-plan 
(TSP) envisaging the percolation of direct benefits 
of development initiatives to the STs. The TSP 
not only aimed at the promotion of development 
activities to raise the level of living standards of STs,