Cross-sectional study of the level of human development of Paudi Bhuiyan and Gond tribal communities in Sundergarh district of Orissa in terms of HDI, with analysis of Government policies for tribals.

Abstract

In India, there are 622 tribes including 75 primitive tribe groups, with total population of about 8.43 crore according to Census 2001. Orissa state has 62 tribes including 13 PTGs who constitute 22.13 % of its total population. Paudi Bhuiyan and Gond are PTG and non-PTG respectively inhabiting in Scheduled Area of Sundergarh District in Orissa. This is green-field research because there are no previous efforts to estimate HDI for small groups of population based on tribe though there are few such for whole district, state by UNDP and Planning Commission etc. My study is to measure Human Development Index based on method of UNDP of these two tribe son sample basis as on date i.e. cross-sectional based on secondary data mined and primary data collected. HDI estimation of tribal groups is important because lower HDI conveys higher deprivation levels. This study narrates past and existing policy of government and analyses the reasons why government policies on education, health and employment for these tribes have had very little impact on their HDI. Remedial measures have been suggested by propounding of a theory in which public policy has to endeavour to uplift them to a threshold level to enable them to leapfrog further by themselves. Another aspect that has been explored is whether the tribal people should be left to themselves for their own development or a positive inclusive intervention by the government is vital for their development to bring them on par with non-tribals. Concepts and principles of human rights also support the intervention policy for development.