EVOLUTION OF SCHEDULED AREAS AND CHANGES IN MUTTADARI SYSTEM IN ANDHRA AREA (1924-1970)

Abstract

The term SCHEDULE is defined as an appended statement of supplementary details usually accompanying a legal or legislative document ad after taking the form of a detailed list of relevant matter. Scheduled areas and Scheduled Tribes living in Scheduled areas enjoy special status and special protection under the constitution of India. The Scheduled areas of coastal Andhra Pradesh have a long history spanning over more than one and half century. But, till now no publication was brought out tracing the historical background of the Scheduled areas. The need for such a study is increasingly felt by administrators, planners, academicians, researchers in the field of Tribes and Tribal Development. The present study, to fill this gap. The 18th and 19th century history of tribal areas of Andhra area was full of resistance movements against British governments interference and exploitation through intermediary Zamindars. In Andhra areas, the Scheduled areas have been existing ever since the Scheduled Districts Act 1874 was passed by British, even though the British policy of separating certain areas, most of which are tribal areas, from general administration started in 1839 with the promulgation of Ganjam and Vizagapatnam Act, 1839. The 1917 Act intends to protect the interests of tribals on land and in matters related to money lending in tribal areas. the Scheduled areas were also called Agency areas and Agency Tracts as these areas where administrated by the district Collector concerned as Agent to State Government. Under the Government of India Act of 1919, the tribal areas in the State were designated as Areas of modified exclusion. By 1920, all the tribal areas in Madras State were kept under administrative control of Agency Commissioner. Under the Act of 1935 no laws of State or Central Government are applicable to the tribal area Agency areas unless they were extended by the Governor to these areas. the partially excluded are under the Act of 1935 almost correspond to the preset day Scheduled Areas. the provisions of the Fifth Schedule are enabling provisions. The Governor can exercise extensive powers, should he so desire. Such a discretion was perhaps considered necessary in view of the vastly varying socio-cultural and economic situation in the Scheduled areas of different states in the country. In this paper also traced the origin and evolution of Muttadary system a unique feudatory system of land tenure in these tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh State.