Chapter-5 ECONOMIC STATUS OF TRIBAL PEOPLE 5.1 Introduction Traditionally, the tribes in India pursued an economy, which was closer to nature, and used indigenous technology. Some tribal communities have adopted a way of life, similar to the neighbouring non-tribal communities; there are other tribal groups, whose livelihoods are characterized by (a) forest-based livelihoods, (b) pre-agriculture level of technology, (c) a stagnant or declining population (d) extremely low literacy and (e) a subsistence level of economy (Chaudhury & Sen Chaudhury, 2005). Traditional tribal economy was largely a combination of several types of activities. For examples, hill cultivators and plain agriculturalists were also occasionally hunting and gathering to supplement their income. Similarly, pastoralists were engaged in agriculture to meet their basic food requirements.There are certain tribes who depend on folk arts such as dancing, singing, tattoo making etc. A number of tribes subsist on crafts and cottage industries like basket and rope making, tool making (iron and wooden), spinning and weaving, metal work, iron work, etc. The Gujjar and Kinnaur (wood work), the Irula, Thoti, Kanjar and Kolam (basket and rope making), the Lohar and Karmali (iron agricultural implements), the Chik-Barik (hand woven cloth), the Mahali (basket and bamboo products), the Godulia Lohar, Mahali, Asur and Agaria (iron smith) and many other artisan groups largely manage their livelihoods as crafts persons (Vidyarthi & Rai, 1976). Several attempts were made for the economic developments of the poor sections of the tribal and non-tribal communities had benefitted the better-off-sections the peasants and landlords of the non-tribal community only and, the traders and middlemen. Despite tribal self sustaining lifestyles, the government fails to protect their right to use resources on their lands in a sustainable way (Sundaram, 2006). The story for the tribal people of the Dooars differs from other parts of the country. They are mainly tea garden workers and landless agricultural labourers. To understand and realize the economic status of the tribal people three economic indicators have been taken into considerations: economic activities, housing conditions, and agricultural practices. 116 5.2 Economic Activities Economic activities are those efforts which are undertaken by man to earn income, money, wealth for his life and to secure maximum satisfaction of wants. Economic activities create economic or financial gain by producing goods or services. Economic consideration is paramount in these activities because human beings want to satisfy their biological needs like food, shelter etc. Economic activities are undertaken with an economic motive. 5.2.1 Measurement of Active Population The economically active population are those who participate in gainful activities. So, total population of a society are not the part of economic composition. There are different methods to determine the economically active population. These are: a) Crude Activity Rate: The proportion of economically active population to total population is generally known as crude activity rate (C.A.R.) The crude activity rate is influenced by the age structure in some extent. C.A.R= ×100 b) General Activity Rate: The proportion of economically active population to the working age population is known as general activity rate (G.A.R.). In our country the children below 18 years of age have no legal sanction to work. So, the working age population are the population above 18 years of age. G.A.R= c) Dependency Ratio: The dependency ratio (D.R) is generally the ratio of the number of children plus old people to the number of adults. D.R= d) The Sex and Age-Specific Activity Rate: The Sex and Age-Specific Activity Rate are calculated for various age groups by calculating the percentage of active males/ females in a specific age group to the total males and females in that particular age group. Work-force participation rate for rural scheduled tribes is highest in the country as well as in the state among the all social groups. Mal subdivision is not an exception. Following table of sample data can well explain the situation. 117 Table 5.1 GP-wise Economically Active Tribal people Sl No. Name of GP Crude Activity General Activity Dependency Rate Rate Ratio 1 Bagrakot 46 68 58 2 Odlabari 49 71 55 3 Rangamatee 44 68 66 4 Rajadanga 48 71 64 5 Damdim 50 70 50 6 Tesimla 42 65 52 7 Kumlai 45 63 45 8 Changmari 47 70 57 9 Kranti 43 67 56 10 Chapadanga 38 65 64 11 Moulani 36 60 65 12 Lataguri 45 67 63 Mal Block Total 44 67 58 1 Matiali Batabari-I 36 65 71 2 Matiali Batabari-II 45 65 64 3 Bidhannagar 40 69 62 4 Matiali Hat 43 72 67 5 Indong Matiali 45 73 53 Matiali Block 42 69 64 1 Angrabhasa-I 40 65 66 2 Angrabhasa-II 36 66 65 3 Sulkapara 45 65 53 4 Champaguri 46 69 57 5 Looksan 50 75 58 Nagrakata Block 43 68 60 Mal Subdivision 44 68 60 Source: Compiled by theResearcher Workforce participation rate or Crude Activity Rate (CAR) for tribal population in Mal subdivision is 44% on an average. Workforce participation of tribal population of Mal subdivision is comparatively higher than the State (38.08%) and National (39.8%) averages in 2011. However, the CAR for the rural areas is higher than the above rate which was 38.7% for the State of West Bengal and 41.8% for India. The CAR is very low in Moulani (36%), Angrabhasa-II (36%), Chapadanga (38%), Angrabhasa-I (40%) and Bidhannagar (40%). The CAR is very high in GPs of Damdim (50%), Looksan (50%), Odlabari (49%) and Rajadanga (48%). Normally, the higher workforce participation rate GPs are located in tea garden concentrated areas while the GPs of poor workforce participation rate are located in non-tribal 118 and non-tea garden based areas. The reason of higher proportion of workforce participation is that the people are forced to get job for their livelihood. Average General Activity Rate (GAR) among the tribal people is 68% in Mal subdivision. The rate is slightly higher in Matiali Block i.e. 69%. The higher rates are found in the GPs of Moulani (60%), Looksan (75%), Indong Matiali (73%), Matiali Hat (72%), Rajadanga (71%) and Odlabari (71%). Lower rates of GAR are found in the GPs of Kumlai (63%), Sulkapara, (63%), Tesimla, Matiali Batabari-I, Matiali Batabari-II, Angrabhasa-I and Chapadanga (65%). Dependency Ratio (DR) for tribal people in Mal subdivision is 60%. The ratio is highest in Matiali Block (64%) and lowest in Mal block (58%). The GPs which has high dependency ratio are Matiali Batabari-I (71%), Matiali Hat (67%), Rangamatee (66%) and Angrabhasa-I (66%). Lowest rate of dependency ratio are found in Kumlai (45%) followed by Damdim (50%), Sulkapara, Indong Matiali (53%) and Odlabari (55%). So there is a wide gap (26%) in dependency ratio among the GPs. Table 5.2 Block-wise and Gender-wise Workforce Participation Rate Tribal People Non-tribal People Block Male Female Total Male Female Total Mal 55.2 35.8 44.0 58.0 24.0 40.0 Matiali 50.0 37.0 42.0 56.0 22.4 38.0 Nagrakata 55.6 34.4 43.0 57.8 23.0 39.0 Total 53.5 35.5 44.0 57.3 23.0 39.3 Source: Primary data, 2015 From the above table it is clear that workforce participation rate for tribal people are better than the non-tribal people in every blocks of Mal subdivision. The tribal workforce rate is 44% while the non-tribal workforce rate is 39.3%; average tribal female participation rate is 35.5% while the non-tribal female ratio is 23% only. This proves that the tribal women are skilled and more employed in tea garden based activities. Figure 5.1 Workforce Participation Rate of Tribal & Non-tribal People 60 40 Tribal 20 0 Non-Tribal Mal Matiali Nagrakata Mal Matiali Nagrakata % of Population % of Male Female 119 5.2.2 Workforce Composition Work has been defined in the census of India as participation in any economically productive activity. In practice such participation may be physical or mental. The work also includes unpaid work on a farm or in family enterprises. Work also includes supervision and direction. According to the census 2011, following classification has been made: a) Main workers are those who have worked for six months or more or more than 183 days. The main workers are again subdivided as: I. Cultivators: A person is classified as cultivator if he or she is engaged in cultivation of land owned or held from Government or held from private persons or institutions for payment in money, kind or share. II. Agricultural Labourers: A person who works on another person's land for wages in money or kind or share is regarded as an agricultural labourer. III. Household Industry Workers: Household Industry is defined as an industry conducted by one or more members of the household at home or within the village in rural areas and only within the precincts of the house where the household lives in urban areas. Household Industry relates to production, processing, servicing, repairing or making and selling of goods. IV. Other Workers: All workers, i.e., those who have been engaged in some economic activity during the last one year, but are not cultivators or agricultural labourers or in Household Industry, are 'Other Workers (OW)'. All government servants, municipal employees, teachers, factory workers, plantation workers, those engaged in trade, commerce, business, transport banking, mining, construction, political or social work, priests, entertainment artists, etc. are 'Other Workers'.