| मध्य भारत वनांचल समृद्धि योजना |
Program for Prosperity of the Central Indian Tribal Belt
The Central Indian Tribal Belt comprises of selected districts from the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal, totalling about 150 districts. This region is designated as both a ‘declared forest area’ and ‘declared as areas of Schedule 6’, having dense forests and mountain ranges. Approximately 80% of India’s tribal population resides in this area. Forests-livestock-agriculture-based livelihoods have long been the basis of prosperity here. The inhabitants have always lived in harmony with nature, maintaining a balance between restrained utilization of resources and conservation, embodying the principles of sustainable development. This has been the foundation of the carrying capacity-based development of this region.
In recent years, the concept of development has become increasingly myopic. During this time, we have seen numerous examples of paradoxes and conflicts within development efforts. The most severe impact of this myopic perspective is evident in the Central Indian Tribal Belt. By modern development standards, this area is considered highly underdeveloped. Significant loss of natural resources, soil erosion, unproductive and low-yield farming, and deforestation have jeopardized the livelihood of local communities. Issues such as food-related malnutrition, child mortality, and unemployment have now become defining characteristics of this region. Consequently, rising public anger and dissatisfaction are making the problem more complex.
Achieving the carrying capacity-based development of the Central Indian Tribal Belt is a top priority. This needs to be undertaken through the systematic 360-degree analysis of the programmatic, project, and philosophical approach to development. Researchers in this field say that the challenges associated with development in India stem from processes based on non-Indian concepts of development. They advocate for a return to the Bharatiya concept of Development as the right solution. To achieve this, Indian thinkers and philosophers in India have presented thoughts relevant to their eras from time to time. Additionally, they have insisted that only when the vision behind development is clear should the manifestation of development take place.
Program for Prosperity of the Central Indian Tribal Belt
The area spanning South Gujarat to West Bengal, known as the central region of India, is characterized by its mountainous terrain and dense forests. This area is home to most of the indigenous tribes. The prevailing development has had a profoundly negative impact on this region.
- Striving to achieve maximum happiness with minimal consumption.
- Establishing a system that fulfills only essential needs.
- Promoting environment-friendly, sustainable production. Enhancing prosperity through carrying capacity-based development.
- Utilizing both traditional and modern appropriate technologies.
- Decentralizing rights, decisions, efforts, production, and ownership.
- Fostering development through public awareness. Positioning the government’s role as a guide, motivator, and helper.
- Ensuring that alongside the market, government, industrialists, and employees, family and social groups also contribute to development.
- Encouraging self-governing, autonomous systems.
- Focusing on generating employment and fostering development.
- To study the current developmental status of your district/area.
- To understand Bharatiya conceptsof development.
- Prepare a development policy and action plan for the selected village cluster with public participation and expert inputs.
- Provide comprehensive support to the local community to implement the action plan.
- Engage with the community to assess the status of village natural resources.
- Understand the development status of the area through newspaper reports.
- Gather and analyze statistical information from government and non-government sources.
- Learn about the ecological settings.
- Study the Bharatiya Development principles and their reappropriation for the current era through listening, reading, and understanding.
- Prerna Pravas: Observe, listen, and understand successful and unsuccessful development efforts.
- Technical Institutions and Workshops: Visit technical institutions, participate in technical workshops, and listen, read, and understand appropriate techniques for area development.
- Participate in experiential learning workshops,present self-study findings scientifically, watch presentations by other researchers, and discuss study conclusions.
- Understand the concept of village clusters, and select a village cluster for implementation.
- Collaborate with subject experts and the village community to create a development plan based on natural resources.
- Awaken youth consciousness and understand the process of ensuring public participation in development at all levels.
- Get acquainted with government and non-government donors.
- Information Documentation: Document institutional, organizational, and village-level information, and develop, listen to, and understand methods for data
- Know and understand Indian laws that are beneficial for village development.
- Knowing and understanding the possibilities for innovative scientific interventions for a village cluster tailored to local conditions.
- Initiate sustainable development projects in the village cluster and premises, guided by community-led, people-driven systems.
The tenure of the program will be two years, commencing annually in the month of Shravan (August).
- Officials and board members of NGOs
- Social organizations and people’s organizations
- Development researchers
