Prospective Plan of Action For Sustainable Development Of Bonai ITDA During 11th Plan Period(2007-08 To 2011-12)

Abstract

The present document incorporating the Plan of Action (POA) for tribal development in Bonai ITDA area of Orissa is primarily synchronic, empirical, analytical and descriptive. The exercise is precisely based on its threefold objectives spelt out in the beginning. TSP as a concept, approach and strategy emerged during the Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-79) period with its commitment for tribal development in our country. India is a multi-racial, multi-lingual and pluri-cultural country with a splendid civilizational backdrop. Tribals constitute a significant part of Indian population which subsumes three broad segments, such as folk (tribal communities), peasant (rural caste communities) and urban (town/ city dwellers) and these three segments are mutually inclusive and interact with each other, to give rise to the folk-urban continuum. Majority of Indian population is rural-based and agriculture continues to be the mainstay of economy although industries have come up recently in the realm of production. While contemplating about rural development, tribal development comes to the purview spontaneously, as both rural, as well as tribal, are Janus-faced, or in other words twin concepts. One notices the maximum concentration of tribal population in rural areas. Tribals constitute the weakest of the weaker section of communities. Despite their cultural heritage and rich traditions, the tribals are economically backward because of geographical, historic and various other reasons. Therefore, for their mainstreaming and integration tribals are provided with constitutional safeguards and special development interventions. In consonance with the policy issues and options in relation to the Tribal Sub-Plan strategy the methodological perspectives were juxtaposed with the conceptual frame. In the beginning of the Fifth Plan Period (1974-1979), keeping in view the diversities in socio-economic, political and cultural aspects of different tribal communities in the Country, it was essentially contemplated to have major thrusts on integrated planning and implementation, people-centric planning with bottom-up approach, quantification of resources and funds, mobilization of resources, equalization of opportunities for development, promotion of participatory approach for attainment of sustainability and the like. The methodology further envisaged region-specific, resource-specific and people specific planned development efforts in order to cater to the felt needs of people. Over the years from 5th to 10th Plan Periods, there were several attempts at overcoming shortcomings, bottlenecks and barriers, which stood on the path of tribal development. While doing so constitutional safeguards and protective measures under the Fifth Schedule and their effective instrumentality were given top priority attention. The 3 objectives of the study are, 1) to prepare review profile of the ITDA incorporating its structural-functional growth and development since inception 2) to delineate the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat of ongoing IDS and IGS through concurrent evaluation, and 3) to formulate and prepare Five Year Prospective Plan of Action (POA) for the ITDA, taking G.P. as the unit of development intervention.