[Marxistindia] Budget & Adivasis : Faulty Framework and Low Allocations

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Budget and Adivasis: Faulty Framework and Low Allocations

 

Brinda Karat

 

The claims of Congress-led UPA Government of "inclusive growth" have been shown to be hollow by the anti-people nature of the budget. For Adivasis it is no different. Of late the impact of neo-liberal policies as far as tribal rights are concerned is to convert universal rights into targeted rights. Thus the policy focus shifts to individual- beneficiary based schemes rather than a thrust to build social and physical infrastructure in tribal areas so as to ensure overall development. At the same time even these individual based schemes exclude a large section of tribals. The utter indifference of the Government towards the specific context of adivasi lives and livelihoods and the consequent requirements are reflected in this budget -a  faulty framework and low allocations.
 

There are three aspects to allocations for tribals in the budget. The first is the direct allocations to the Tribal Affairs Ministry which is the nodal Ministry for tribal development. The second is the Central Assistance to State Plans for adivasi schemes called the SCA. The third is allocations of all Ministries and departments within general allocations to what is known as the Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP).  Let us look at all three aspects.

 

Tribal Affairs Ministry (MOTA) : 

 

This is the Ministry which is supposed to be the nodal Ministry for Adivasi development. The Ministry itself is marginalized and has a very limited number of projects. Indeed the only schemes the Ministry runs directly are those concerning schools and scholarships. In this sphere also the allocations in the budget are totally inadequate. It is unbelievable but true that the total increase in allocations for the schemes for Adivasis being run by the Ministry is only 163 crore rupees. This is the shocking picture which is concealed by the tall claims of the Government. Thus the Ministry has started only one new scheme which is to give scholarships to pre-matric students. However the amount allocated is only 40 crores rupees. This is half the amount that was spent last year to help a single institute under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs! For ashram schools there is not even a single paisa increase from the 75 crores rupees.  Even though there is a serious shortage of hostels, the schemes for tribal hostels remains the same as last year-just 68 crores. Obviously this will not make any impact. Even the allocations for primitive tribal groups remains stagnant compared to the revised estimates last year.

 

Central Assistance to States
 

Under the constitutional framework, regions and areas where the Adivasi population forms a substantial part of the population, are designated as Fifth Schedule areas. There are also other areas outside the Fifth Schedule areas designated as Integrated Tribal Development Areas (ITDA). The central Government has specific responsibilities to ensure adequate allocations so as to bridge the gaps in social indicators between the Adivasi population and others. Thus central assistance to the States is a crucial component for Adivasi development. However even as Government boasts of increased growth rates, the help to the States for Adivasis has not registered any growth, on the contrary factoring in inflation, the allocations remain stagnant. Thus for this year the central Assistance to the States for adivasi related programmes has increased only by Rs. 287 crores from Rs 2006 crores to Rs. 2293 crores. Many of the States run important programmes for Adivasi development. This meagre allocation will hardly cover the cost of present programmes leave alone new initiatives. For special projects for the entire North-east region and Sikkim the increase is just 23 crores rupees. 

This shows the utter callousness of the Central Government in ensuring Adivasi development by cooperating with the States.

 

 

Tribal Sub-Plan:

 

The concept of the Tribal Sub-Plan was mandated in the Planning Commission guidelines issued in 1979 for a population-proportionate expenditure for tribals within the general Plan. Thus allocations for tribals must be at least 8.2 per cent of the plan expenditure according to the tribal population of the 2001 census. The expenditures for the Tribal Sub-Plan are calculated by adding up all the expenditures earmarked specifically for tribals in the general schemes and welfare projects of all Ministries. For example in the general funds given for Indira Awaas Yojana, how much is given specifically for tribal housing would be calculated as part of the Sub-Plan. The separate accounting for expenditures on Adivasis within the general plan will help to track how much of the national resources are being used for Adivasis. However till now there were only very few departments and Ministries which kept such a separate account. For the first time the Finance Minister has assured that a separate accounting statement will be given every year on this expenditure. This was one of the demands made by the Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch (AARM) delegation that had met the Finance Minister before the budget. However at present only 27 departments out of 105 have shown separate expenditures on Adivasis. The only schemes for 100 per cent expenditures on tribals are within the Tribal Affairs Ministry. The other Ministries claim 20 per cent allocations to tribals in their schemes. However the actual expenditures need to be verified. 

 

As far as meeting the target of 8.2 per cent of allocations, even with an increase of departments reporting compared to last year, the percentage is 5.42 per cent instead of 8.2 per cent. In actual money terms this means an approximately 11,000 crore rupee gap between what should have been allocated and what was allocated. An analysis of sub-plan allocations also show up the gross injustice of meagre allocations 

 

Tribal Sub Plan expenditures: Agriculture, Food & Public Distribution:

 

The most neglected and indeed ignored area is that of agriculture. One of the basic demands raised was for a special debt relief for Adivasi farmers. As is well known Adivasi farmers have not benefited because of the present design of the Government schemes. The budget does not have a single line on this. On the contrary, the allocations for Adivasi farmers are shockingly low and add insult to injury. 

·Only 3.5 per cent of the entire Agricultural Budget is allocated for Adivasis  

·There are no special schemes for insurance for tribals farmers nor are their any insurance schemes for protection of their livelihood such as minor forest produce. According to the census calculations there are 50 districts in the country where the tribal population is between 25 per cent to 50 per cent of the population. The allocations given for tribals in the general scheme is so poor that even if only tribals in these districts were to be given benefits, then it would average out to just one or two crores per district. This is making a mockery of tribal development. 

·For example in the National Food Security Mission only Rs.126 Crores have been set aside for tribals. 

·Grain Banks for tribals have been allotted merely Rs.1.4  Crores. 

·Under the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme tribal people have been allotted only Rs.50 Crores and Rs.45 Crores for Weather-Based Crop Insurance. In the context of high-risk, rain-fed agriculture in Tribal areas, this translates into very little. 

·Under the National Mission on Seeds only Rs.8 Crores have been allotted to Tribal areas. ·The National Mission on Bamboo Technology and Trade Development has been allotted only Rs.6 Crores whereas bamboo collection is a crucial part of tribal livelihood particularly in the north-eastern States. 

·National Mission on Micro-Irrigation and National Horticulture Mission receive Rs.100 Crores and Rs.125 Crores respectively. Given the exorbitant costs involved in Micro-Irrigation as well as Horticulture development this is too little and it means leaving the Adivasi farmers to fend for themselves.

 

Minor Forest Produce, Remunerative Prices and Marketing:

 

Since collection and sale of minor forest produce forms an important aspect of Adivasis livelihoods particularly for tribal women, AARM has been demanding that just as there is an MSP for foodgrains, there should be a central MSP for minor forest produce instead of leaving it to the States. AARM has especially pointed to the huge natural resources in herbs and medicinal plants which can provide livelihoods to tribal communities using their traditional knowledge. Shamefully at a time when MNCs are out to capture the growing global demand for herbal remedies and medicines by using India's vast natural resources, the Government of India has allocated just 1.8 crores for the National Board for Medicinal Plant and National Mission on Medical Plants put together. 

·Similarly, instead of increasing investment/Price Support  to Trifed and Market development of tribal products/ produce, the Government has eliminated even the meagre allocation of 14 crores last year to zero this year. 

·In other such schemes the total allocation for marketing is just 22 lakh rupees. 

The support to National/State Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporations has remained stagnant at Rs.70 Crores. 

·Under Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojna for promoting micro, small and medium enterprises a fifty percent cut has been effected bringing the total allocation to just Rs.30 Lakh.

Thus on the crucial issues of tribal development and particularly as part of the allocations in agriculture and rural development, the tribals have been blatantly neglected by the Government in this budget.

 

Education

 

AARM has highlighted the need for vocational training for tribal youth and an expansion of IT in tribal areas.  The Plan Budget for Vocational Training in Tribal areas has not been increased even by a single rupee when compared to the meagre Rs.8 Crores allocated in 2010-11. 

·Is it not an insult to tribals that under the Ministry of Labour and Employment a sum of just Rs.8 Lakh only has been allotted for upgradation of 20 ITIs and supplementing deficient infrastructure in 28 ITIs in North East? Why mention such an absurdity which works out to just over 16,000 rupees for 48 institutes

·In the name of strengthening education among ST girls in low literacy Districts over the 2010-11 Revised Estimate only 30 lakh has been increased to just Rs.40 Crores which  is too little to make any impact. The national scheme for incentives for girls children secondary education has actually been cut by 1.4 crores. 

·Shockingly the Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship has been cut by Rs.10 Crores when compared to the Budget Estimates of 2010-11 and is only Rs.62 Crores. 

While the dismal conditions of Tribal hostels have often been reported, the Government has not made any increase in allocation for the Scheme of Hostels for ST girls and boys. 

·There has been no additional allocation for establishment of Ashram schools in TSP areas when compared to the Rs.75 crores in the 2010-11 Budget Estimates. 

·The already low allocation for National Means Cum Merit Scholarship aimed at helping the economically deprived has been further cut nearly Rs.80 Lakh and stands at Rs.6.42 Crores only.

·The Scheme for setting up 6000 Model Schools at Block Level as "Benchmark of Excellence" has been allotted merely Rs.128.40 Crores. This would imply only Rs.2.3 Lakh per School. 

·The allocation for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan when compared to the Revised Estimates of 2010-11 has been increased only by Rs.19 Crores.

With such inadequate allocations in the field of education how does the Government intend to cover the continuing gap in literacy between Adivasis and others social groups which was as high as 17 percentage points according to the last census. 

 

Health:

 

In the Health Sector, the high incidence of vector borne diseases like malaria leading to so many tribal deaths and other epidemics notwithstanding the Government has cut the allocation under the heads of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme and Immunisation by Rs.14 Crores when compared to the 2010-11 Budget Estimates. For the maintenance of Health Infrastructure a paltry increase in allocation by Rs.17 Crores only has been made and it stands at Rs.327 Crores. This at a time when the health infrastructure in Adivasi areas requires huge allocations to bring them even at par with other areas, leave alone ensuring quality heath facilities.

 

ICDS: 

 

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has claimed that it has allotted 1000 crores for the expenditures on ICDS in tribal areas. However as with other Ministries this is just an arbitrary figure not backed with any concrete schemes or plans as to how to increase the reach of projects under ICDS or even to improve the quality of child and maternal care. The truth is that while anganwadi workers in plains areas where they are working in fullfledged anganwadis get an increase in their allowances, although still below the minimum wage, most Adivasi anganwadi helpers and workers will be denied even this meagre increase. This is because in many of the more remote hamlets there are only mini-anganwadis which because of lower population norms are graded on a lower scale and therefore the anganwadi staff get a lower allowance. In fact Adivasi women working in these so-called mini-anganwadis have to work even harder as they have to bring the children from greater distances to the centres and make provisions for them in  more difficult circumstances. Yet these women instead of being rewarded are being punished by denying them the increased salaries. This is a gross injustice which must be reversed. 

  

Thus this budget has exposes the hollowness of the Government claims of inclusive development or concern for the tribal communities --, while 88,ooo crores in taxes to be paid by corporates is gifted away as concessions to keep the corporates happy, there are no resources when it comes to meeting adivasi needs.