Status of Adivasi land Ownership

STATUS OF LAND OWNERSHIP OF THE TRIBAL PEOPLE IN MAHARASHTRA IN 1971

According to 1971 census there are 15 major scheduled tribes in Maharashtra distributed in the western, northern and southern regions. The total population was 2,954,000 people which constituted about 6% of the total state population. The tribal people are spread over large areas, mainly on hilltops, most of the them facing disadvantageous situations. The agricultural labourers are 52% of the tribal population, 43% are cultivators. There is a great disparity among the tribals and the general population due to their backwardness,ignorance and poverty. Due to the poor soil conditions, lack of water, and their primitive way to cultivate the land, productivity is very poor. The poor economic conditions together with the increase in population compelled the adivasis to fall prey to indebtness. The indebtness was the major cause of the decrease of tribal cultivators from 724,000 in 1901 to 561,000 in 1971. Due to this, a movement was launched demanding prevention of transfer of land from tribal to non tribals people.