Decentralised Governance and Tribal Development in Scheduled Areas of Northeast India: A Case Study of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council

Abstract

Decentralised governance has been conceived as an instrument in promoting development. In realising the rights of the tribals, the Constitution of India has provided special provisions by delineating special administrative structures for tribal development with enacting the Fifth and the Sixth Schedules. The Sixth Schedule is applicable to four states of northeast India, namely, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, and the Fifth Schedule is in operation in other regions of the country where tribes form a majority in a district or districts. The Sixth Schedule provides for autonomous district councils, thus offering space for tribal self-governance. The autonomous district councils are both administrative as well as legislative entity. In Tripura, due to the movement launched by the tribal people for the protection of their rights, the State Legislative Assembly has passed an Act, Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council Act, 1979, under which the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) was established. Subsequently, in 1984, the special provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution were extended to the tribal areas in the state of Tripura. Since then, a new political process has been started in the state of Tripura by establishing TTAADC for the realisation of the rights of the tribals (Das, 2001, p. 208). It is in this context, that this article provides an overview of the decentralised governance and tribal development in the Sixth Schedule areas of northeast India with special reference to Tripura. It discusses the organisational and functional aspects the TTAADC. In this connection, the article reviews the various Acts, rules, regulations and amendments relating to TTAADC. It also examines its role and impact in tribal development in the state of Tripura. Further, an attempt has been made in the article to relate the deficiencies in the functioning of the TTAADC, recommending suitable changes.

Keywords

Decentralised governance tribal development Sixth Schedule area autonomous district councils TTAADC

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