Explores the rubber based rehabilitation strategy of landless tribal people in the state of Tripura

1. Dynamics of Tribal
Rehabilitation in Tripura
Indraneel Bhowmik
&
Prof. Aparajita Mukherjee

2. The Discourse
Introduction
Rehabilitation- what, why & how
Natural Rubber- Profile
NR based rehabilitation
Observations
Critical evaluations
Conclusions
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 2

3. Tripura- the land & the people
Second smallest in size but second largest in
population in the NER
60 percent land under forest cover & mostly hilly
Ethnic mix- 31% ST, 17% SC
Population growth- mostly during partition & the
1971 War
Predominance of Jhum cultivators- migratory
Bangla speaking majority- settled cultivation
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 3

4. Rehabilitation
………..of the poor landless shifting cultivators
as they lived in abject poverty deprived of any
human development facilities
……….by providing them a settled life with
viable economic opportunity to enjoy the
fruits of development and avail the education
and health facilities
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 4

5. Rehabilitation process…….some measures
•The first attempts at rehabilitation -1930-31.
-70,400 acres (11264 ha)- Kalyanpur Reserve in the
Khowai subdivision
•First Five Year Plan- special emphasis to the tribal
welfare programmes----- Colonisation of the jhumias-
pilot project at Belonia sub-division in 1953.
TTADC in January 1982; Sixth Schedule- 1985; & STDCL in 1979
Tribal Sub Plan- proportionate budget provision by each development
department of the state government
37 point development package HIMSWKANG in 2003
Special Area Based Development Projects
Rehabilitation programmes for jhum cultivators- agriculture, forest, plantation,
etc
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 5

6. Progress in Rehabilitation Projects
Considerable decline from in the last two decades- 55049 households in
1987 (Tribal Welfare Department) ……………….. 28628 households in 2005
(State Forest Department)
Success of the rehabilitation schemes undertaken by
Tribal Welfare Department
TRP & PGP Department
Autonomous District Council
Tripura Rehabilitation Plantation Corporation (TRPC)
Forest Department
Agricultural Department
Tripura Forest Development Plantation Corporation (TFDPC)
Rubber plantation has been exceptionally successful
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 6

7. Natural Rubber
Wide usage– 50000 articles
Supply limited to geo-physical conditions
Highly traded commodity
India’s unique position- major consumer as
well as major producer
Expansion in traditional zone –saturation
Tripura- leader among the non-traditional
areas
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 7

8. Natural Rubber in Tripura
Introduced as part of afforestation in 1963
Rubber Board office in 1969
2nd largest domestic producer, 36000 ha
State led expansion
1992- World Bank Project
2005- Tripura Rubber Mission
NLRSB- potential of 100000 ha
Target- 85000 ha by 2030
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 8

9. Economics of Natural Rubber
Long Economic life Indicators Results
Labour intensive- IRR 19%
NPV Rs.149680
Highly Profitable- BC Ratio 2.07
Payback period 10.42 years
Inter-linkage of the domestic price with the
international price
The optimum land size - semi-medium (2 ha to 4 ha)
Small farms subsist only with household labour
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 9

10. Rubber based Rehabilitation
encompass land occupancy rights around 1 hectare for a
family ( head of the family is called beneficiary)
entitled to the subsidy provided by Rubber Board
given technical support and training
number of beneficiaries clubbed together as a unit to enjoy
the economies of scale
the rubber tree has a long gestation period –seven years
the beneficiary is employed as labourer in his own field
adopt intercropping like banana and pineapple
income accrues after maturity at the sale of latex
agencies as marketing associates- ensured market
processing as part of society formed by the beneficiaries
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 10

11. Extent of Rehabilitation of shifting cultivators through Rubber Plantation
Agency Till 31/03/2006 2006-07 2007-08
Area Beneficiary Area Beneficiary Target
TFDPC 2915 2413 247 247 160
TRPC 3964 4367 545 578 600
TTAADC 1521 NA 0 0 300
Block Plantation 3047 2651 204 204 150
by Rubber Board
Total: 11447 9431 996 1029 1210
Source- TRPC
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 11

12. Average earning of TRPC beneficiaries against supply of latex & scrap
Average Income
Area Number of Production
Year per beneficiary
tapped (ha) Beneficiaries (MT)
(Rs./pa)
2003-04 921 1335 917 20,250/-
2004-05 1044 1396 1036 25,989/-
2005-06 1182 1514 1585 33,458/-
2006-07 1264 1564 1828 60,758/-
Source- TRPC
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 12

13. Observations
Achievements Hurdles
Macro Macro
Revenue Managerial Inefficiency
Employment Insurgency
Value Addition Industrial Backwardness
Environment Micro
Micro Low Productivity
Income Flow Less Efficient
Employment Indifferent attitude for
Surplus education & health
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 13

14. Critical evaluation
Lack of attitude for saving-
Concerned for the short term; Conspicuous Consumption
Appointments of wage labourers for tapping- effecting yield
Booming rubber sector- greater interest
AAGR of NR Price -11.79% between 1999-2005
Craze for tilla land - large scale leasing by Capitalist farmers-
Possibility of land owners turning out to be tappers
Vulnerable to vagaries in the international market
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 14

15. Social Impact of Rubber based Tribal
Rehabilitation in Tripura
Transition from wage earner to rent seeker
Underutilization of labour
Stagnation or rather maintenance of status quo
even after availing facilities
Underutilization of resources
NEED- Increasing Social Awareness & Consciousness
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 15

16. Thank You
Your comments & suggestions are welcome at
eyebees@gmail.com
Presentation at the 8th session of the ICSP
organised by VBU, Santiniketan, 2008 16