ABSTRACT
Typically, tribal areas are mineral- and forest-rich and the extraction of these resources tends to be a one-way street with little benefit flowing to the tribal people. The political leadership that arises, for the most part, projects them only symbolically and strategically. It has a limited voice in effecting power sharing between the state and tribal areas, which for many is a critical step to improve the lives of tribals in India. The focus of The Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation (BRLF) work is the central Indian Adivasi belt, centred on sub-districts with more than 20% Adivasi population in around 1,000 sub-districts across about 190 districts in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana, and West Bengal. The aim is to help build a new paradigm of sustainable and equitable development, anchored in the principles of subsidiarity and people’s empowerment.
