Role of scheduled tribe communities in industrialization in karbi anglong district of assam

The Scheduled Tribes of India are a significant section of our society. Scheduled Tribes are composed of different communities and groups varying widely in their level of socio-economic development. Tribal people have abundant self respect and are conscious to preserve their social and cultural identity. But majority of them are poor and lead a hard life. They are economically backward and agriculture is the backbone of the tribal society. Though the tribal areas are plentifully endowed with all resources for industrialization but most of the tribal areas have been adjudged as industrially backward.

The area of the study is Karbi Anglong District, a hill District of Assam falling under Sixth Schedule areas of the Indian Constitution, where majority of the population belongs to Scheduled Tribe Communities, is both industrially and economically backward. The methodology of the study is analytical in nature. The foregoing survey is undertaken to examine the role of Scheduled Tribe Communities in industrialization in Karbi Anglong District of Assam. The basic rationale of developing the Small Scale Industries are that they are low capital intensive and provide immediate large scale employment, ensure more equitable distribution of income, encourage decentralization of industries and eradicate unemployment problem. The analysis of the data reveals that Small Scale Industries set up by the people belonging to Scheduled Tribe Communities is playing a very significant role in the economic development of Karbi Anglong District of Assam through exploitation of available resources of the District. The development of Small Scale Industries in the District has also been instrumental in diversification of economic activities of the tribal people. The study brings to light that though the participation of the Scheduled Tribe Communities in Small Scale Industry Sector is not proportionate to their percentage of population in the District yet majority of the Small Scale Industrial units set up by them are contributing to a large extent to the different section of the society.

To sum up, the Small Scale Industrial units set up by the member of the Scheduled Tribe Communities has been catalyst in the process of industrialization in Karbi Anglong District of Assam.