PhD

The present study entitled “Sustainability of tribal development in Kerala – a methodological study” was undertaken to formulate a sustainable tribal development index to assess the sustainability of tribal development in Kerala by delineating the dimensions of sustainable development. The factors influencing sustainable tribal development index and extension of inclusion of dimensions of sustainable tribal development in the selected tribal development programmes during the period 1997-2000 were also analysed in the study. Two hundred members of scheduled tribes from nine panchayats in three districts - Wayanad, Idukki and Palakkad were selected as the respondent for the study. Data were also collected using pre-tested interview schedule and suitable statistical techniques were employed in the analysis of data.
After arriving the definition of sustainable tribal development, the dimensions of sustainable tribal development index were delineated under three major sub dimensions viz., economic, social and ecological sustainability using Nominal Group Technique and Policy Delphi Technique. The following are the identified dimensions with scale value. Under economic sustainability there are four dimensions identified. They are control over land resources (2.82), employment and income generation (2.50), control over minor forest produces (2.44) and agricultural productivity optimization (2.25). The dimensions identified under social sustainability are food security (2.63), housing security (2.57), human resource development (2.31), health and nutrition security (2.12), participation (2.00), ethno-development (1.93), socio-political empowerment (1.81), protection of cultural heritage (1.74), institution building (1.43), infrastructure development (1.36), strengthening hamlet system (1.24), right to information (1.17), human right security (1.15), promotion of moral value (0.98), development facilitatory linkage (0.86). The delineated dimensions of STDI under ecological sustainability are resource conservation (1.68), ecosystem preservation (1.62) and indigenous knowledge system (1.49).
The economic sustainability index value of nine panchayats in three districts revealed that an average ESIV of tribes in Kerala ranged from 8.73 to 15.81 with highest ESI value in Palakkad district followed by Idukki and Wayanad. The correlation study of dimensions of economic sustainability index indicated that all the four dimensions – control over land resources, employment and income generation, control over minor forest produces and agricultural productivity optimization had positive and significant correlation with ESIV. Principal component analysis shown that the first linier combination of dimension (control over land resources) yielded 78.32 per cent of total variation in economic sustainability followed by employment and income generation (11.13 %), control over minor forest produces (5.89 %) and agricultural productivity optimization (4.62 %).
With regard to social sustainability index value of nine panchayats in three districts indicated that average SSIV ranged from 7.95 to 34.40 with highest SSIV in Palakkad followed by Idukki and Wayanad.
Correlation analysis indicated that except promotion of moral value and facilitatory linkage, all 13 dimensions had positive and significant relationship with SSIV. The PCA of the dimensions of social sustainability indicated that the first linear combination of dimensions yielded 60.05 per cent of the total variations and larger magnitude of variation was contributed by food security.
The analysis of ecological sustainability index value of nine panchayats in three districts indicated that average economic sustainability index value in Kerala ranged from 7.7 to 17.76 with highest value in Palakkad followed by Idukki and Wayanad. Correlation study of dimensions of ecological sustainability revealed that all the three dimensions had significant and positive relationship with the ecological sustainability of tribes. PCA indicated that EP (49.86 %) and RC (29.09 %) contributed higher magnitude of variation followed by IKS (21.04 %).
With regard to sustainable tribal development index value (STDIV), the range of STDIV is only between 8.25 to 22.56 observed in three districts which accounts for more than 65 per cent of tribes in Kerala. Among the three districts, Palakkad had the highest STDIV (22.56) followed by Idukki (18.96) and Wayanad (8.25). The correlation study of the dimensions of STDIV indicated that all dimensions except PMV and DFL had positive and significant relationship with STDIV and 0.01 level of probability.
Regarding the distribution of respondents based on dimensions of ecological sustainability index majority of respondents in Palakkad and Idukki had control over their land resources but in Wayanad, majority had less control over their land resource. In the case of EIG, majority of tribes in all the three districts belonged to low category with regard to MFPs, majority of tribes in Palakkad and Wayanad are having low control over the MFPs, but in Idukki, majority belonged to medium category. In this case of APO, majority of respondent in Palakkad and Idukki belonged to medium category but majority in Wayanad belonged to low category.
Regarding the distribution of respondents on the dimensions of social sustainability, majority of tribes in Palakkad and Idukki belonged to medium category and Wayanad belonged to low category in the case of dimensions – food security, housing security, health and nutritional security, participation, strengthening hamlet system, institution building, infrastructural development and development facilitatory linkage. But in the case of dimensions – protection of cultural heritage, human right security, right to information, majority of respondents belonged to low category in all the three districts. As far as the human resource development, ethno-development and promotion of moral value are concerned majority of tribes in Palakkad and Wayanad belonged to low category and majority belonged to medium category in Idukki district.
Regarding the distribution of respondents based on the dimensions of ecological sustainability majority of respondents in Palakkad and Idukki belonged to medium category in the case of resource conservation and ecosystem preservation. But in the dimension – indigenous knowledge system majority belonged to medium category in Palakkad and Idukki and low in Wayanad.
Study on distribution of factors influencing sustainable tribal development index revealed that majority of respondents in Palakkad and Idukki belonged to low group in the case of factors land alienation, indebtedness and value orientation. But in the case of socio-economic status, majority of respondents belonged to low group in Palakkad and Wayanad. As far as the level of aspiration is concerned, majority belonged to low group in Wayanad and high group in Palakkad and Idukki. Majority of respondents belonged to low group in Wayanad and high group in Palakkad and Idukki in the case of economic motivation. But majority belonged to low group in Wayanad and Idukki and high group in Palakkad in the case of guidance and supervision. With regard to orientation towards incentives and political interference it could also be observed that majority of respondents belonged to high group category in all the three districts.
Study on correlation of actors influencing sustainable tribal development index with STDIV revealed that all factors except land alienation, indebtedness, orientation towards incentives, external interference and value orientation indicated a positive and significant relationship with STDIV while political interference indicated a non-significant relationship.
With regard to selected tribal development programmes during 1997-2000, it could be observed that major part of the TSP funds have been set apart for service sector schemes (51.56 %) followed by infrastructure (26.61 %) and productive sector (21.85 %). Regarding the extent of inclusion of dimensions in the selected tribal development programmes revealed that out of 22 dimensions, more number of dimensions have been included in the agricultural development scheme followed by education, drinking water, health, infrastructure and housing.
Regarding the average index value for the selected scheme, agricultural development schemes has got higher index value (10.9) followed by education (9.6), health (8.5), infrastructure development (8.0), drinking water (6.6 %), food support programme (5.7) and housing (5.6).
The results indicated the need for evolving a new strategy of sustainable tribal development by including all possible dimensions of economic, social and ecological sustainability in the development of tribes.