The Politics of Development and Identity in the Jharkhand Region of Bihar (India), 1951-91
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The Politics of Development and Identity in the Jharkhand Region of Bihar (India), 1951-91 Amit Prakash Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Oriental and African Studies University of London 1998 ProQuest Number: 10673204 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10673204 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 Abstract This is a study of the process by which public policy implementation influences the crystallisation of political identities premised on ethnic, lingual, religious or other similar grounds. It argues that the failure of development policy to intervene in socio-economic conditions encourages societal groups to articulate themselves as political identities. The Jharkhand movement in south Bihar has been studied to substantiate the theoretical formulations. After briefly outlining the historical roots of the Jharkhand movement, the study locates the tribal policy of the colonial and post-colonial Indian state in the dynamics of the colonial and nationalist discourses. The thesis then focuses on the changing development profile of the Jharkhand region and correlates it to the fluctuating electoral support for Jharkhandi political formations. This correlation has been studied with the help of a Modified Resource Dependence Model (Echeverri-Gent, 1993). This model argues that both the State and the societal groups control resources which are vital to the other. As the State in India controls a vast array of resources, disadvantaged societal groups articulate themselves as a self-conscious ethnic identity in order to augment their political resources and influence the policy process in their own favour. The case of Jharkhandi identity and the movement around it is one example of such articulation of a politically significant self-conscious identity in order to gain a better bargaining power. To a certain extent, it has been successful in influencing the State’s response in terms of securing a development council for the area. The Jharkhandi identity, in turn, has been shaped by the response of the policy machinery to local needs and demands. This two-way interaction between the State and the Jharkhandi identity has also significantly altered the character of the identity itself. The ‘politics of development and identity’ thus born has been discussed and changing approaches of the various political parties towards the Jharkhandi identity and its demand for autonomy have been analysed. 2 Contents Abstract 2 Contents 3 List of Maps 4 List of Tables 4 List of Charts 7 Abbreviations 8 Acknowledgements 10 I Introduction: Theoretical Concerns and the Problem 15 II Changing Dimensions of the Jharkhand Movement 52 III Tribal Areas of Bihar in Independent India: A Legacy of 103 Colonial Discourse? IV Changing Patterns in the Development Profile of the Jharkhand 156 Region - I V Changing Patterns in the Development Profile of the Jharkhand 205 Region - II VI Politics of Development, Identity and Autonomy in the 235 Jharkhand Region VII Demand for Autonomy in the Jharkhand Region 287 VIII Conclusions 348 Annex 1: Statistical Annex 355 Annex 2: Interview Schedule 380 Bibliography 383 3 List of Maps Map No. Title of the Map Page Map 1 Location of Bihar and the Jharkhand Region in India 12 Map 2 Districts of Bihar 13 Map 3 Lok Sabha Constituencies in Bihar 14 List of Tables Table No. Title of the Table Page Table 1 Population in Jharkhand 1951 160 Table 2 Scheduled Tribes Population in Jharkhand 1951 160 Table 3 Infant Mortality and Birth & Death Rates in Jharkhand 1950 161 Table 4 Output of Principal Crops in Jharkhand 1949-50 162 Table 5 Land Improvement Loans Advanced to Agriculturists in 162 Jharkhand 1950-51 Table 6 Loans Disbursed for Reclamation of Wasteland and Area of 163 Wasteland Reclaimed in Jharkhand 1951-52 Table 7 In-door and Out-door Patients Treated in Public Medical Institutions Owned, Subsidised or Aided by Public Authorities 163 in Jharkhand 1947 Table 8 Expenses of Public Medical Institutions Owned, Subsidised or 163 Aided by Public Authorities in Jharkhand 1947 Table 9 Municipal Councils’ Income and their Expenditure on Primary 164 Education in Jharkhand 1949-50 Table 10 Collection of Agricultural Income Tax in Jharkhand 1950-51 165 Table 11 Collection of Revenues under Electricity Act 1948 in 165 Jharkhand 1950-51 Table 12 Collection of Sales Tax in Jharkhand 1950-51 165 Table 13 Number of Moneylenders’ Licenses Issued and Moneys 166 Advanced in Jharkhand 1950-51 Table 14 Livelihood Classes in Jharkhand 1951 167 Table 14 A Occupational Patterns in Jharkhand 1951 168 Table 15 Livelihood Classes by Educational Standards in Jharkhand 170 1951 Table 16 Population in Jharkhand 1961 172 Table 17 Scheduled Tribes Population in Jharkhand 1961 172 Table 18 Infant Mortality and Birth & Death Rates in Jharkhand 1961 173 Table 19 Causes of Death in Jharkhand 1961-62 174 Table 20 Number of Children at School in Jharkhandl961-62 175 4 Table 21 Occupational Patterns by Educational Standards in Jharkhand 176 1961 Table 22 Occupational Patterns in Jharkhand 1961 178 Table 23 Output of Principal Crops in Jharkhand 1961-62 179 Table 24 Land Improvement Loans Advanced to Agriculturists in 180 Jharkhand 1959-60 Table 25 Loans Disbursed for Reclamation of Wasteland and Areas of 181 Wasteland Reclaimed in Jharkhand 1959-60 Table 26 Area Irrigated from Different Sources 1961-62 182 Table 27 Figures for Registered Deeds of Sale in Respect of Rayati 183 Holdings Having Occupancy Rights in Jharkhand 1961 Table 28 Number of Moneylenders’ Licenses Issued, Number of 184 Licenses in Force and Moneys Advanced 1961-62 Table 29 Collection of Agricultural Income Tax 1961-62 185 Table 30 Collection of Sales Tax 1961-62 185 Table 31 Length of PWD Roads in Jharkhand 1960 186 Table 32 Population in Jharkhand 1971 189 Table 33 Scheduled Tribes Population 1971 190 Table 34 Occupational Patterns in Jharkhand 1971 192 Table 35 Occupational Patterns by Educational Standards in Jharkhand 193 1971 Table 36 Area under Principal Crops in Jharkhand 1974-75 194 Table 37 Area under High Yielding Variety Crops in Jharkhand 1974-75 195 Table 38 Area Irrigated from Different Sources in Jharkhand 1973-74 196 Table 39 Land Improvement Loans Advanced to Agriculturists in 197 Jharkhand 1972-73 Table 40 Collection of Agricultural Income Tax 1975-76 198 Table 41 Number of Electrified Villages in Jharkhand 1973 198 Table 42 Collection of Revenues under Electricity Act, 1948 1975-76 198 Table 43 Length of PWD Roads in Jharkhand 1977-78 199 Table 44 Figures for Registered Deeds of Sale in Respect of Rayati 200 Holdings Having Occupancy Rights in Jharkhand 1974 Table 45 Scheduled Tribes Occupational Patterns in Jharkhand 1961 202 Table 46 Scheduled Tribes Occupational Patterns in Jharkhand 1971 203 Table 47 Scheduled Tribes Educational Levels in Jharkhand 1971 203 Table 48 Tribal Sub-Plan Component of the Bihar Fifth Five-Year Plan 207 1976-81 Table 49 Bihar State Plan Outlay and its Tribal Sub-Plan Component in 211 Sixth Five-Year Plan 1980-85 Table 50 Outlay under various Development Heads for the TSP area in 214 the Seventh Five-Year Plan 1985-90 Table 51 Outlay under various Development Heads for the TSP area in 216 the Eight Five-Year Plan 1990-95 Table 52 Population in Jharkhand 1981 217 Table 53 Scheduled Tribes Population in Jharkhand 1981 218 5 Table 54 In-door and Out-door Patients Treated in Public Medical 218 Institutions Owned, Subsidised or Aided by Public Authorities in Jharkhand 1979 Table 55 Occupational Patterns of Main Workers in Jharkhand 1981 220 Table 56 Occupational Patterns by Educational Standards of Main 221 Workers in Jharkhand 1981 Table 57 Area under Principal Crops in Jharkhand 1985-86 223 Table 58 Area Irrigated from Different Sources 1980-81 224 Table 59 Population in Jharkhand 1991 226 Table 60 Scheduled Tribes Population in Jharkhand 1991 227 Table 61 Occupational Patterns in Jharkhand 1991 227 Table 62 Literacy in Jharkhand 1991 228 Table 63 Area under Principal Crops in Jharkhand 1987-88 229 Table 64 Area Irrigated from Different Sources 1988-89 230 Table 65 Scheduled Tribes Occupational Patterns 1981 231 Table 66 Scheduled Tribes Educational Levels in Jharkhand 1981 232 Table 67 Performance of Political Parties in Constituencies of Jharkhand 244 in Lok Sabha Elections 1952 Table 68 Performance of Jharkhandi Political Parties in Lok Sabha 245 Elections 1952 Table 69 Performance of Political Parties in Constituencies of Jharkhand 247 in Lok Sabha Elections 1957 Table 70 Performance of Jharkhandi Political Parties in Lok Sabha 248 Elections 1957 Table 71 Performance of Political Parties in Constituencies of Jharkhand 253 in Lok Sabha Elections 1962 Table 72 Performance of Jharkhandi Political Parties in Lok Sabha 254 Elections 1962 Table 73 Performance of Political Parties in Constituencies of Jharkhand 257 in Lok Sabha Elections 1967 Table 74 Performance of Political Parties in Constituencies of Jharkhand 262 in Lok Sabha Elections 1971 Table