It is quite unfortunate that the indigenous or the ‘sons of the soil’ are crying for their self-identity, dignity and prestige in their own motherland. The post-independent India debated a lot, whether to take the tribal people along with the non-tribes. British policy of isolation was supported by many, arguing that tribal culture is being kept intact. On the other hand the missionaries and religious groups advocated for the assimilation of tribal people with the non-tribes. The third school of thought stood for the integration of tribal people with the ‘mainstream’, without defining the meaning of mainstream. The tribal people could not take the benefit out of CD Programme and needed special attention. The SMPT block started in the regions where tribal concentration was high. This also proved to be failure as it was an area development programme rather people’s development programme. The move of decentralisation by the policy makers brought a sea-change in tribal development during Fifth Five Year Plan. The TSP, a plan within the broad frame-work of state and central plan, operated through ITDPs with the objectives to bring change in the living standard of the tribes, elimination of exploitation and making self-reliant. The present work undertaken in Koraput, addresses itself to a very important aspect of India’s development policy and strategy, aimed at ameliorating the tribal communities in a backward state. In view of its objectives and scope, the TSP approach is reviewed carefully which is being in vogue for last 29 years. This book will be found useful to the policy makers, administrators, social workers, academicians, researchers and others working in the areas of policy issues, specific to tribal and rural areas.
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