Education is the key to resolving all major tribal issues

In a candid interview with Shounak Sengupta, minister of state for tribal affairs Tushar Chaudhary speaks about the life of the tribal citizen and how his ministry is trying to make it better.

It has been almost a year since you assumed office. Could you tell us about some of the foremost policy initiatives undertaken by the ministry during this time?

One of the major tasks of our ministry is to ensure the smooth implementation of central policies like NREGA and PMGSY in the tribal states. We have made great progress in Tripura, Meghalaya and West Bengal while there is still a lot to be done in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. We have established hostels for boys and girls in these regions to promote literacy alongside scholarship programmes and vocational training centers. Proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act is another area where the ministry is working very closely. The work has been easier in certain states where the tribal population is the majority, thus making it easier to implement legislations locally.

How aware is the average tribal citizen about the existence of your ministry and the fact that now they have had a government forum to address their concerns to?

Contrary to popular perception, most tribals are aware of the work that our ministry does. There are different levels at which the grievances of the tribals are addressed, starting with the Gram Sabha and gradually leading up to our ministry. Though there may not be our officials directly posted at these regions, we keep a tab on how the local administration is relating to tribal welfare. My senior colleague Cabinet minister Kantilal Bhuria and I are regularly visiting tribal regions to assess the welfare of our people.

As a regulating authority, how do you assess the current scenario in tribal India? What are some of the major issues that your department is trying to address?

I think the biggest issue facing the tribal regions is the lack of a proper infrastructure for education. Education among the local masses is one policy initiative that will help us resolve all others. Giving a boost to the literacy and enrollment rates has been our policy priority for a while now.

Tribal India is not only expansive but is also very diverse. The needs of the tribals living in the forests of central plains are very different from the needs of those living in the mountainous north-east. When you are making your policies, do you keep in mind this diversity of tribal population and try to address broader issues? Or do you have region-specific policies that target specific communities?

We are well aware of the geographical and demographic differences between various tribal regions. Though there might be a few regional policies that we have initiated, we try to determine the monetary requirements based on the local terrain of the region for majority of our schemes. Like, if we know of a hilly terrain where it is going to be difficult to dig a well, we allocate certain extra funds as opposed to plains with tillable soil. So, to answer your question, yes we do keep in mind the regional differences while making policies and implementing programmes.

It is believed that the tribal affairs ministry must work closely in association with other related departments . Is this sort of co-operation just a theoretical assumption or are there some joint initiatives that you indeed undertake?

Our ministry is constantly aiming to achieve the overall welfare of tribals in this nation. We do collaborate with the other agencies concerned when it comes to design and implementation of programmes.

A lot of activists believe that the government is out to control important natural resources that the tribal regions hold and does not care much about the lives of tribals. With such a big debate over carbon credits or the timber mafia in these regions, do you think the government is encroaching upon tribal property?

The resources are ultimately people’s resources and we are just trying to ensure that resources are utilised for the benefit of all. So, for example, we build roads to facilitate transport so that the cottage industries in these areas get an impetus. As a ministry, we are just facilitating the welfare of the people in these regions.

The Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill is still pending for approval . Do you think that Bill will be effective in addressing minimum displacement of tribal people?

I’m sorry I cannot comment on the details of the Bill.