The Draft Scheduled Tribes Bill 2005

India’s scheduled tribes are probably amongst the country’s most marginalized groups of people. Despite some positive actions, constitutional provisions, a number of schemes intended at socially and economically benefiting them, the results on the ground continue to be disappointing. Like most other natural resource dependent people in the country, a central factor affecting tribal livelihood is access to and control over natural resources. A major problem is that traditional homelands of tribal communities have been classified, earlier by the colonial government and subsequently by the Independent Indian government, as forest lands vested with the state. In the absence of clearly defined property rights, millions of tribal families living in or around forest land have been called encroachers or illegal occupants. Not surprisingly therefore such areas have witnessed serious conflicts over land rights – agitations, dharnas and rasta rokos, often resulting in loss of life. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) therefore intends to introduce in Parliament the proposed Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill. However, alongside the concern about survival and livelihood of tribal peoples is the equally pressing concern about India’s declining and degrading forest cover and consequent threat to wildlife and environment. Possibly this is why this Bill has become embroiled in a serious controversy. Here we present Kalpavriksh’s comments on this proposed Bill.


Read our Letter to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs

Read General comments on the content and process of the bill

Read Specific sectionwise comments on the bill

Read the draft Scheduled Tribes Bill 2005 on the Ministry of Tribal Affairs site