There are 12 scheduled tribes (this makes nearly 13.5% of the total population of the state) in Rajasthan having various names depending on different parts of the state. The major ones are the Bhils, Meenas, Garasias, and Sahariyas, mostly found in southern Aravalli and southeast regions. In these tribes, people have different cultures, customs, and ecological wisdom and in most of the cases they usually practice agriculture, crafts, and forest-related occupations. They do encounter problems such as poverty, illiteracy and displacement and in response states and central welfare attempts have been made. The tribal development of Rajasthan through government schemes like Tribal Sub-Plan, EMRS and Van Dhan Kendras seek comprehensive tribal development.

Key Highlights for RAS Mains

Tribe definition in India

• According to the Imperial gazetteer of India:
  • A tribe is a group of families, who bear one name, use a common dialect, and who inhabit a common territory, or pretend to do so.

• India is a land of a melting pot of tribes and races.
• India has the second-largest number of tribal population in the world after Africa.
• Tribals form 8.9% of the total population of India according to a Census 2011.

Tribal Community nomenclatures

• Adivasis (Indigenous People)
  • Means literally the original inhabitants.
  • Have different cultures, traditions, languages and reside in ecologically different areas.
  • Good spiritual, environmental and cultural relationships of land.
• Scheduled Tribes (STs)
  • Article 366(25) in the Constitution defines it.
  • Enlisted in Article 342 and notified by the President after consultation with the Governor of respective states.
• STs Essential Features (Lokur Committee, 1965):
  • Primitive traits
  • Geographical isolation
  • Distinct culture
  • Aversion of contact with the wider world
  • Economic backwardness

Tribe in Rajasthan

• There are a wide variety of tribes in Rajasthan, the proportion of people belonging to Scheduled Tribes constitutes nearly 13.5% (9.24 million as per 2011 Census) of the state population. 
• Most of the tribal people can be found in the Aravalli hill area that has forest and biodiversity wealth 

Tribal Communities

• 1. Bhils
  • Biggest troop in Rajasthan, largely in Banswara, and in archery powerful traditions 
• 2. Meenas
  • Second biggest, primarily located in the Alwar Karauli area.
  • A traditionally agricultural society still working in politics and in government services 
• 3. Sahariyas
  • They live in Tonk, Kota, Baran, Bundi; they depend on hunting, gathering, and shifting cultivation.
  • Tend to become socio-economically marginalized often 

Other STs

• The state of Rajasthan has 12 tribes in formal existence. 
  • Bhil (different sub groups such as Bhil Garasia, Dholi Bhil)
  • Mina
  • Damor, Damaria
  • Dhanka,Tadvi, Tetaria, Valvi
  • Garasia (without Rajput Garasia)
  • Kathodi/Katkari groups
  • Kokna, Kokni, Kukna
  • Koli sub-groups
  • Naikda, Nyak
  • Patelia
  • Sahariya is also known as Sehria (or Seharia).
• They are enlisted in detail in official schedules.

Non-Scheduled/Ethnic Groups

• A. Kalbelia
  • Folk dance of serpent-like movements of the ancient snake-beating tribe of the Thar Desert.
  • Distributed in Pali, Ajmer, Chittorgarh and Udaipur 
• B. Mehrat Cheetah
  • Community of mixed Hindu-Muslim origins of Rajput descent in Ajmer, Bhilwara, Pali and Rajsamand.
  • The famous religious harmony where some of the families worship in both temple and mosque 
• C. Bishnoi
  • Vaishnava sect was established by Guru Jambheshwar (1485), and has 0.6 and up to 1.5 million members.
  • Eco-conscious are following 29 commandments, which cover not only wildlife and forest protection, thus getting them the designation of primary eco-warriors 
• D. Vagri (Vaghri / Waghri)
  • Hunting of tiger and tree dweller in Aravalli and Gujarat.
  • Knowledgeable in guerrilla warfare, members of Shaktism; declared a denotified tribe after being stripped of the Criminal Tribes Act 
• E. Kachhwaha
  • Rajput clan having sub-clans as 71 such as Shekhawat, Naruka, Rajawat etc.
  • Dominates in northern Rajasthan; once governed Jaipur, Alwar and other princely states 

Geographical Distribution

• Aravalli region: Forest cover and terrain mostly dominated by the tribal people.
• Exceptions:
  • Sansi and Sahariya clans located in non-forested regions 

Cultural Socio-Economic Profile

• The tribal communities are mainly agriculturalists, hunters, and gatherers as well as forest dependent life-styles.
• Integration into the mainstream culture with a greater representation in politics and taking up employment in the government.
• There are high numbers of the population who continue to live in poverty, deprived of resources, and are socially excluded.

How Tribes Differ from Mainstream Societ

Constitutional and Institutional Means

1. Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA)

• It was established in 1999 to protect and foster welfare of STs.
• Functions:
  • Formulating policies
  • Running central tribal schemes of welfare
  • Protecting tribal rights, land and culture

 2. National Commission of Scheduled Tribes (NCST)

• Created through Article 338A (Constitutional Amendment Act, 89 th -2003).
• Roles:
  • Explores ST complaints
  • Monitor schemes implementation
  • Suggestions on affirmative action policies

Major Tribal Welfare Schemes & Programs

Problems among the Tribal Communities

• Eviction as a result of dam constructions, mining, and nature policies of forests
• Destruction of language and culture
• Medicine and diet
• Alienation of Land and illiteracy
• Non participation in policy process and modern economy

Conclusion

Tribals are the custodians or the repositories of ecological knowledge, diversity of culture and knowledge. On one hand they have contributed so much to the Indian heritage and building of the country and on the other hand they are socio-economically vulnerable. The most important way to empower these communities is to assure them of comprehensive development, constitutional safety, and honor of the tribal identity and autonomy