Securing Tribal Futures in India: Addressing Challenges, Recognizing Contributions, and Reimagining Policy

Abstract

India’s tribal communities are navigating one of the most consequential periods in their collective history, defined
by the convergence of long-standing marginalization and new pressures from development-led displacement,
ecological degradation, and administrative uncertainty. While recent national initiatives—including the Forest
Rights Act (FRA 2006), PESA (1996), PM–JANMAN, EMRS modernization, and Van Dhan—signal renewed
attention to tribal welfare, their on-ground impact remains uneven and often disconnected from the lived realities
of Adivasi communities. This urgency becomes especially evident in cases such as the continued neglect of nearly
50,000 Gond tribals displaced under the 2005 Strategic Hamlet initiative, which exposes persistent governance
failures, weak rehabilitation structures, and the fragility of land and cultural rights even after two decades. The
urgency becomes especially evident in cases such as the continued neglect of nearly 50,000 Gond tribals displaced
under the 2005 Strategic Hamlet initiative, and the ongoing Hasdeo Arand mining crisis (2022-2025), which
exposes persistent governance failures, weak rehabilitation structures, and the fragility of land and cultural rights
even after two decades. ndia’s Adivasi communities face deepening marginalisation from development-induced
displacement, ecological degradation, and persistent governance failures. Despite progressive laws like the Forest
Rights Act (FRA) 2006 and PESA 1996, and recent initiatives (PM-JANMAN, VanDhan, EMRS),
implementation remains highly uneven. The unresolved displacement of nearly 50,000 Gond tribals in 2005 and
the ongoing Hasdeo Arand mining crisis (2022–2025) illustrate the continued fragility of tribal land and cultural
rights.
This study offers a comprehensive inquiry into the socio-cultural, ecological, and economic contributions of tribal
communities while critically analyzing the deep-rooted challenges they face across land governance,
displacement, forest dependence, healthcare, education, and cultural autonomy. By integrating literature review,
secondary data, and policy analysis, the research maps the persistent gaps between legislative intent and
implementation reality. It examines how resource governance failures, administrative delay, weak Gram Sabha
empowerment, declining forest access, and livelihood vulnerability continue to shape tribal marginalization. The
study further highlights how fragile food systems, anaemia prevalence, disrupted schooling, and market
exploitation deepen socio-economic inequalities.
A major contribution of this research lies in its cross-sectoral and rights-based approach, linking governance
challenges with cultural identity, ecological stewardship, and development planning. Unlike existing studies that
examine these themes in isolation, this paper synthesizes them into a unified analytical framework that
foregrounds the collective rights, historical injustices, and community-led pathways necessary for transformative
change. By aligning its recommendations with SDGs 1, 4, 10, and 15, the study offers a robust, justice-oriented
roadmap for policymakers, scholars, and development practitioners committed to sustainable, culturally rooted,
and rights-driven tribal empowerment. In doing so, it fills a critical gap in contemporary scholarship by connecting
structural vulnerabilities with policy pathways that honor tribal autonomy, ecological wisdom, and the
constitutional promise of dignity for India’s indigenous peoples.