ANIL GOPI
Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala
Abstract
Development of Scheduled Tribes has always been a matter of concern, extensive discourse, and actions for a long period in India. Starting from the colonial period, initiatives made by various bodies, both governmental and non-governmental, have invariably brought changes to the lives of tribal people in India. Kerala also follows a similar historical trajectory. Although conditions are improving, there is a persistent degenerative condition experienced by the people, and there is also a noticeable disparity in the extent of improvements. Drawing on two key governmental reports, one at the national level (Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India – 2014) and one at the state level (Scheduled Tribes Development Department, Govt. of Kerala – 2013), a contextual and thematic analysis of the socio-cultural, economic, and infrastructural aspects was conducted based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in a group of settlements in Idukki district, Kerala. The study reveals that there is a scenario where development reaches the ground differentially, and the reception by the beneficiaries also demonstrates a continuum of aspirations, expectations, and realities. It also illustrates that, for the effective realization of development initiatives, certain cultural specificities and social dynamics at the basic level need to be emphasized.
Keywords: Scheduled Tribes, Xaxa Committee report, Development, Modernity, Kerala.