The High Level Committee (HLC) was constituted by the Prime Minister’s Office in August, 2014 to look into the socio-economic, educational and health status of the tribals of India.
The Indian State must aim to ensure that all sections of society share in the economic and social prosperity of the country. It is widely acknowledged that a large section of the Indian population, especially the tribal communities, have not received the full benefits of development processes undertaken over the past six decades.
Indeed, it is recognised that the tribal population has been adversely affected by the developmental projects undertaken during this period.
It is imperative that the causes, circumstances and consequences of this situation are studied and analysed in detail in order to design appropriate interventional measures to remedy the current state of affairs and uphold the progressive principles enshrined in the Constitution of India.
REPORT OF THE HIGH LEVEL COMMITTEE ON SOCIOECONOMIC, HEALTH AND EDUCATIONAL STATUS OF TRIBAL COMMUNITIES OF INDIA
This report gives us a comprehensive understanding of tribes of India as it included the views and experiences of many experts and NGO's who worked with tribals at ground level.
They have visited many tribal areas, interacted with them and gained many insights on tribal issues.
Members of High-Level Committee (HLC)
- Prof. Virginius Xaxa - Chairperson
- Dr. Usha Ramanathan
- Dr. Joseph Bara
- Dr. K. K. Misra
- Dr. Abhay Bang
- Smt. Sunila Basant
- Dr. Hrusikesh Panda - Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, as Member-Secretary.
FAQs
What was the main objective of the XAXA Committee?
The XAXA Committee was tasked with studying the overall situation of tribals (Scheduled Tribes) in India. Its goal was to evaluate the implementation of constitutional safeguards and development programs for tribals and recommend strategies to address their challenges.
What were the key findings of the XAXA Committee?
The report identified several key areas of concern:
Poverty: A significant percentage of tribal populations continue to live in poverty, facing limited access to education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities.
Land alienation: Land acquisition by non-tribal entities, displacement due to development projects, and loss of traditional livelihoods were major issues.
Education: Despite government efforts, education levels among tribals remained below the national average, with a higher dropout rate and low literacy levels.
Health: Tribal communities have poor health indicators, with high rates of malnutrition, infant mortality, and inadequate healthcare services.
Displacement: Large-scale displacement due to mining, industrial projects, and dams was a recurring issue, with inadequate rehabilitation policies.
Political representation: Though tribals have constitutional provisions for political representation, their actual participation in decision-making processes was limited.
What laws and policies were evaluated by the XAXA Committee?
The committee reviewed the effectiveness of several laws and policies, such as:
The Fifth and Sixth Schedules of the Constitution.
The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.
The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996.
Government schemes like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and others aimed at tribal development.
