SPECIAL CENTRAL ASSISTANCE TO
TRIBAL SUB PLAN 1985-2000

Introduction

     Scheduled Tribe population in the State is 3,20,967 (1991 census) which constitute about 1.10% of the total population. They belong to 35 distinct communities. There are 69441 S.T. households in the State. Wayanad has the highest concentration of STs in the State. 35.66 % of the Scheduled Tribes population in the State is in Wayanad, which accounts for 17.11% of the total population of that district. Idukki comes next with 15.66% of the S.T. population in the State followed by Palakkad (11.05%) and Kasaragod (9.12%). S.T. population in the remaining districts ranges from 0.87 % (Alappuzha) to 5.68% (Kannur).

     The literacy rate of tribals as per 1991 Census was 57.22% while the general literacy rate was 89%. Tribal literacy rate was above 70% in Kottayam, Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts. The lowest literacy rate (34.87%) was in Palakkad district.

     Majority of the tribals in the State is residing in rural areas (96.51%). Agriculture sector provides them with the main means of livelihood. Among the workers, 55.47% depends on agriculture and 16.66 % constitute cultivators and the remaining are distributed in various other occupations. 44.04% of the tribal agricultural labourers are in Wayanad district.

    Considering the peculiar nature of the Scheduled Tribes concentration and to ensure effective co-ordination of development programmes; Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDPs) were started during the Fifth Five-Year Plan. The first ITDP in the State was started in Attappady in Palakkad district by converting the Tribal Development Block, Attappady. Subsequently, four more ITDPs viz., Punalur, Idukki, Nilambur and Mananthavady were formed. During 1989-90, the ITDPs and field level Offices were reconstituted into 7 Project Offices and 7 Tribal Development Offices. In 1995, a new Tribal Development Office (TDO) was started in Palakkad. There are 7 ITDP Offices and 8 TDOffices are functioning in the State.

     The Integrated Tribal Development Projects are at Nedumangad (Trivandrum), Idukki, Nilambur (Malappuram), Kanjirappally (Kottayam), Attappady (Palakkad), Kalpetta (Wayanad) and Kannur. Tribal Development Offices are at Punalur (Kollam), Ranni (Pathanamthitta), Moovattupuzha (Kottayam), Attappady (Palakkad), Sultan Batheri (Wayanad), Mananthavady (Wayanad), Thamarassery (Kozhikode) and Kasaragod.

     An attempt has been made in the report to analyse the pattern of distribution and utilisation of Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Plan funds among various ITDPs/TDOs and among various sectors.

Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Plan

     The Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Plan (SCA to TSP) was introduced by Government of India during 1979-80 with the objective of ensuring adequate flow of funds for the developoment of Scheduled Tribes. SCA to TSP funds released by Government of India is an addition to State Plan funds under Tribal Sub Plan. Funds under Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Plan are utilised for the following activities.

1.     Income Generating schemes are designed in such a way that each scheme and/or package of schemes will be capable of generating substantial income to the beneficiaries.



2. Training Programmes
   
      Training Programmes which have pre-identified employment/self employment avenues.
   



3. Back up Services and Institutional build up
   
      Back up Services which include supply of raw materials, provision of tools and equipment, introduction of new technology, provision of common work places and service centres, and common facilities. Large scale construction works or infrastructural development schemes are not envisaged under Special Central Assistance.
   



4. Implementation, Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation
   
       A portion of Special Central Assistance can be utilised for implementation, supervision, monitoring and evaluation subject to the approval of Government.
   
       SCA to TSP were utilised through ITDPs/TDOs for schemes in the following sectors.
   
   

   1. Agriculture
   
   
   
   2. Village and Small Scale Industries
   
   
   
   3. Animal Husbandry
   
   
   
   4. Minor Irrigation
   
   
   
   5. Minimum Needs Programme
   
   
   
   6. Education
   
   
   
   7. Land Reforms
   
   
   
   8. Need Based Schemes

     Apart from the above, a few schemes are also implemented directly through the Headquarters (S. T. Development Department)

Expenditure under State Plan and Tribal Sub Plan

     During the period 1985-00 an amount of Rs. 20213.87 crore was spent for State Plan Schemes. Of this the share of TSP (including SCA to TSP) was 1.62 % (Rs. 326.92 crore). The Plan-wise expenditure since 1985 is given in Table 1. During 1985-90 the total State Plan expenditure amounted to Rs. 2438.58 crore and the amount spent under TSP was Rs. 38.92 crore. The expenditure for State Plan Schemes during 1990-92 was Rs 1382.23 crore and that of TSP was Rs. 27.54 crore. The expenditure under TSP during 1992-97 was 1.45 % of the State Plan expenditure Rs. 7276.59 crore. During the first three years of the 9th Five Year Plan 1997-00 the expenditure incurred under TSP was Rs. 154.59 crore and under State Plan was Rs. 9116.47 crore. The expenditure under TSP during this period formed 1.7 % of the total State Plan expenditure.

     During 1985-90, Rs.38.92 crore was expended for various developmental activities of STs of which Rs.3.75 crore (9.63%) was under SCA to TSP. However, the amount expended under SCA to TSP in 1990-92 was Rs. 3.86 crore which constituted 14% of the total amount spent for STs in the State. During 1992-97, an amount of Rs.105.87 crore was spent for various schemes for STs. Of this Rs.9.22 crore (8.71%) was under SCA to TSP. During 1997-2000, an amount of Rs.154.59 crore was spent for various developmental activities of STs of which Rs.5.15 crore ( 3.33%) was under SCA to TSP. Thus, out of the total amount of Rs. 326.92 crore spent for various developmental activities of STs during 1985-00, 6.72 % was met under SCA to TSP. (Table-2).

Per Capita Expenditure under SCA to TSP

     There has been an increase in the per capita expenditure for the developmental activities of STs since 1985-90 (Table 3). The per capita expenditure per year increased from Rs. 259.49 in 1985-90 to Rs. 1340.51 in 1997-2000. While the per capita expenditure per year under TSP increased over the years since 1985-90, the per capita expenditure per year under SCA to TSP decreased since 1990-92. The percapita expenditure under TSP during 1985-90 was Rs.234.49 per year and that under SCA to TSP was Rs.25.00. The per capita expenditure per year increased to Rs. 368.97 under TSP and Rs. 60. 07 under SCA to TSP during 1990-92. The corresponding figures during 1992-97 were Rs. 550.33 and Rs. 52.48 respectively. During 1997-00, the per capita expenditure per year under TSP was Rs. 1295.82 and that under SCA to TSP was Rs. 44.69. The per capita expenditure per year during the period 1985-00 under SCA to TSP was Rs. 43.63 and that of TSP was Rs. 605.47.

* Based on projected population figures.