Development of Tribals in Coal Belt of Andhra Pradesh -Action Plan

Abstract

Singareni is one of the 18 identified Coal and Lignite fields in the country. In Andhra Pradesh it runs along the River Godavari. This coal belt covers parts of scheduled areas, Sub-Plan areas of the Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warrangal and Khammam districts. The present trend in SCCL shows that the tribals whose habitat has been partly or wholly affected, have yet to show signs of effective participation in SCCL activity. The migrant population and even those who far away from this centre of activity have demonstrated the required will and capacity to derive the utmost advantage of direct and indirect employment. Unless a correct approach is adopted to enable the tribals to participate effectively in the process of economic development, the growing nexus between the non-tribals and tribals will adversely affect the tribals who have been gradually losing their control over their economic resources like forest, agricultural land and minerals. The present study, therefore, aims at to prepare suitable strategies for training tribals for direct and indirect employment in Singareni Collieries Company (SCCL). The strategy spells out the Action Plan for the up-gradation of skills of individual tribal and improvement in the standards and quality of products to match the acceptability level of the SCCL. The objectives are set-forth to assess the scope for an expansion of the extent of employment of tribals in SCCL and devise appropriate schemes to enlarge the intake and participation of tribals. The objectives also include to analyze the stores and other requirements of the SCCL with standards and specifications prescribed and identify specific items which tribes can supply. The data is collected from the secondary sources and a 10 year draft perspective plan prepared as a first order exercise. For the purpose of identifying proximal hinterland, all the mandals through which the coal belt runs were included and with in such mandals villages having 40% or more tribal population were included. The action plan, which was both temporal and spatial, is presented in six sections.