tribes of bihar

www.thinkindiaquarterly.org/thinkindiaquarterly/.../TribesofBihar.pd... 

Scheduled tribes (STs) distinguish themselves from other communities with their distinctive culture and isolated habitations and lag behind the rest of the society due to their socio-economic backwardness. According to the 2001 Census, they account for about 84.32 million constituting  8.2 per cent of the country's total population. Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) are 1.32 million according to the 1991 Census constituting 1.49 per cent of the total tribal population. PTGs are still very backward and live in interior forests lacking basic minimum services.

 After the bifurcation of Bihar in November 2000, its predominantly

tribal region became the state of Jharkhand. For a few months, I also started believing that truncated Bihar did not have any tribal population. But one day, a few tribals from Purnea and Rohtas came to me. They were facing difficulties in getting certificates from state government that they belong to the scheduled tribe community of Bihar. A meeting was convened by the Secretary, Department of Personnel and dministrative Reforms and the Institute ( AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies ) was given the responsibility of identifying the scheduled tribes of Bihar. We are yet to receive funds for this work.

AS PER THE LATEST CENSUS WE HAVE FOLLOWING TRIBES IN

BIHAR:

1. Santhal

2. Oraon

3. Munda

4. Gond

5. Gorait

6. Khaira

7. Lohara

8. Banjara

9. Bhumeej

10. Tharu

11. Birhor

In truncated Bihar we have demographically dominant tribes as well as primitive tribal groups, food gatherers and hunters. When we examine the economic condition of these tribes we find that by and large they are

settled agriculturist and live in a particular geographical territory. Their economy is marked by the barter system. Labour is shared and exchanged and not sold within the community. Their social life is similar to that of similar tribes in Jharkhand. Their cultural institutions and functions are the same. We are yet to find

attributes which can be used as special indicators of the tribes of Bihar. Those who were known till yesterday as tribes of Bihar are now known as tribes of Jharkhand and are calling themselves Jharkhand Santhal or Oraon or Munda. But a separate cultural identity from tribes of Bihar is yet to be claimed by them. We, as anthropologists, have attributed cultural traits to those who are living in Bihar and are known as the tribes of Bihar The recent census suggests that each district of Bihar has some tribal population. The Santhals of Bihar now, after two years, have started to claim that they are the original Santhals and distinguish themselves from the Santhals of Jharkhand. However, marriages of Santhals living in

Bihar are being solemnized with the Santhals of Jharkhand and of West Bengal. Is this only a geographical distribution of the population or something more, which gives them the connotation of tribes of Bihar? I

think it is something more than geographical distribution. It is their sense of belongingness with the state of Bihar. This sense of belongingness gives a new perspective to their world view. Their cultural,

ecological and human emotions give them an image, feeling, bondage, style of life, etc, identifying them as tribes of Bihar. This is yet to be firmly articulated by them. 

Majority of the tribes of Bihar are settled agriculturist, agricultural labourers or simple labourers. Generally they work as labourers and also migrate as labourers. They hardly get two square meals throughout the

year. However, their folklore, folk tales and folk songs, folk music are very rich. When they are involved in singing or dancing it becomes very difficult to imagine that their bellies may be empty. Their dress is similar

to those of Jharkhand tribes. They worship nature and Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

Tribes of Bihar generally belong to the Mongoloid racial group and have their own dialects with Devnagari as script. Their development has become a myth. They suffer either from deprivatory development, or

discriminatory development or derivatory development. They need to be developed as per their 'Felt Need' which may result in their sustainable development.

Demographically Santhals are the number one tribe of Bihar, then comes Tharu. The common diseases among them are TB, goitre, skin diseases and others due to malnutrition and non-availability of safe

drinking water.

The Tenth Plan has made a commitment for their social and economic empowerment and towards providing social justice so as to fulfil the constitutional obligation of raising their status to that of the rest of the society. The nodal ministry for Welfare and Development of the STs is the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. An outlay of Rs. 1087 crore was made during Annual Plan 2003-04 for undertaking various welfare and

developmental works to empower tribals. Special Central Assistance (SCA) to Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) is a 100 percent grant to undertake a number of developmental schemes with a focus on family oriented income generating schemes, creation of critical infrastructure and also to extend financial assistance to Self Help Groups, Community Based Activities, Primitive Tribal Groups and Forest Villages. Rs. 500 crore was allocated for Annual Plan 2004-05. Grant in aid under article 275(i) is being provided to the states with an

objective to raise the level of administration in the states covered under scheduled areas to bring them at par with the rest of the states. Rs. 330 crore was allocated for Annual Plan 2004-05 under this strategy. The

scheme of post-matric scholarship continued to be implemented. The scheme plays an important role in higher studies and empowerment of the tribals. Economic empowerment of the scheduled tribes continued

through extending financial support to Finance Corporations and Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation (TRIFED). Accommodating people's growing demands for their inclusion in

society, for respect of their ethnicity, religion and language, takes more than democracy and equitable growth. Also needed are multi cultural policies that recognize differences, champion diversity and promote

cultural freedoms, so that all people can choose to speak their language, practice their religion and participate in shaping their culture, so that people can choose to be who they are. The table on the next page (Total Population of Scheduled Tribes in Bihar - 2001) suggests presence of tribals in each district. Geographically, Katihar is the number one district in Bihar in housing the tribal population, Purnia is second, Banka third, Bhagalpur fourth, Paschhim Champaran fifth and Kaimur sixth. Likewise tribals are living in each district of Bihar.

Issues

1. The tribals of Bihar identify themselves different from the tribes of Jharkhand. This is

a new phenomenon which gives them a Bihari identity.

2. The plan of the Bihar Government for the development of tribes of Bihar needs to be

properly planned and budgeted for their real development and be linked with the

national plan for the tribal development.

3. Their representation in polity and administration ought to be raised in order to avoid

their nursing of 'alien feeling'.

4. The tribes of Bihar need to be scientifically documented and an ethnographic study of

each tribes be recorded.

5. Violence among tribals are largely because of political, social and economic factors.

This needs to be scientifically researched.

6. The tribes of Bihar need to be integrated in such a design that they may feel assimilated

and a member of the national mainstream.

7. Infusion and diffusion of folk culture and folk tradition be given priority while

planning for their social and economic development.