Integrated Tribal Development Plan For Tribal Areas of East Godavari District

Abstract

The tribal population of the project area mainly comprise of five major tribes koya, Konda Reddi, Konda Dora, Kamara and Valmiki. These tribals living in the hilly and wooded habitat, artifacts, mentifacts and socio-facts according to their own genius. The cultural diversity is characterized by linguistic variation, occupational diversity and cultural pluralism. The tribal are represented on various standing committees of the Panchayat Samithi as well as Zilla Parishad to draw up various schemes for the planned development of the tribal areas. Development efforts were initiated in pre-independence era in the tribal areas of Stat but these efforts were not intensive and integrated. The achievements were not significant enough and the tribal areas were lagging very much behind the relatively advanced non-tribal areas and it necessitated rethinking among planners and administrators. As a result, in December 1949 a conference was held to take stock of the situation and evolve suitable plans for amelioration of hill tribes in East and West Godavari, Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts of the State. A new deal promised during the First Five Year Plan is fulfilled I successive Five-Year Plans. With the introduction of Community Development Programmes initiated in the project area. New schemes have been taken on hand to benefit all sections of the tribal communities the scheduled areas of the Project. Huge amounts were allotted from community Development and Tribal Development Programmes like Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Education, Minor Irrigation, Medical and Health etc. the study finds the programme wise expenditure incurred during IV Five Year Plan for 3 Tribal Development Blocks. As a result of implementation of various development programmes in this connection the Economic, Human Resource and Infrastructure Development Institutions have come into existence in the Project Area. Various protective legislations have been passed by the Government to afford necessary protection to tribals against the exploitation of the advanced section. The aggregate composite index reveals that Rampachodavaram is relatively advanced over other units and it is followed by Rajavommangi, Addateegala, Maredumilli and Sankavaram. The project area has registered steady progress during the 1961-1971 decade under review, the pace of development is not so fast as to bridge the gap between the project area and the non-tribal areas in the District. Integrated Area Development refers to two types of integration i.e., functional and spatial as both are inter-related aspects. The MESO tribal region for Integrated Tribal Development in East Godavari District is covered out by including all the Scheduled villages in Rampachodavaram and Yellavaram Taluks and 49 contiguous Nob-Scheduled villages from Sankhavaram of Prathipadu Taluk. The study also discusses various programmes implementations, budget allocations and expenditures in the project area.