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Land, Property Rights and Management Issues in Tribal Areas of Jharkhand: An Overview

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Book cover Shifting Perspectives in Tribal Studies

Abstract

The paper examines the shift in tribal perception of land as a free good to its commoditisation and associated problems in the absence or poor management of land records. Within this framework, it makes a contrast between customary and statutory provisions and practices under land record management. It argues that modern laws are biased and also responsible for replacing ‘customary practices to favour the modern state machinery to acquire tribal land, displace tribal people and dispossess them from their livelihood’. Therefore, the paper suggests that tribal land management in the era of globalisation should address to the issues of protection and preservation of tribal customary rights on land on the face of threats from modern laws.

Just like in heaven, everybody wants a piece of land

—John Steinbeck

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See Morris Marsh (1988) and Lewis (1972) for an understanding of the concept ‘tribe’.

  2. 2.

    André Béteille’s observation in this regard is worth mentioning. He observes the existence of a tribe fitting any theoretical definition is at best an anthropological imagination (see Béteille 1981). In a same vein, Morton Fried suggests that what anthropologists study today is ‘tribe as a secondary sociopolitical phenomenon, brought about by the intercession of more complex ordered societies, states in particular. The ‘pristine tribe,’ on the other hand, is a creation of myth and legend, pertaining either to the golden age of the noble savage or romantic barbarism’ (Fried 1975: 114).

  3. 3.

    The Scheduled areas of Jharkhand have been specified in the Scheduled Areas (States of Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh) Order, 2003 (Constitution order, 192), have been rescinded vide the Scheduled Areas State of Jharkhand. The Scheduled Areas include Ranchi, Lohardaga, Gumla, Simdega, Latehar, East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Sarikela Kharsawan, Sahebganj, Dumka, Pakur, Jamtara, Palamu (Rabda & Bakoria Panchayats of Satbarwa Block) and Godda (Sunderpahari and Boarijor blocks). Source: http://www.jharkhand.gov.in/documents/10179/2712021/Presidential%20Order%20for%20the%20Scheduled%20Areas%20of%20Jharkhand.

  4. 4.

    The LARR Act of 2013—The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act of 2013 is a most comprehensive Act provides fair opportunity to the land owner under land acquisition. Details can be accessed from http://indiacode.nic.in/acts-in-pdf/302013.pdf.

  5. 5.

    ‘Accumulation by dispossession is a notable contribution of David Harvey who has derived the basis from the Marx’s analysis of ‘primitive capital accumulation’ (Rao and Behera 2017: 26).

  6. 6.

    Draft National Land Utilization Policy developed in 2013 as a framework for land use planning and management is an attempt to develop an effective National Land Use Policy which has provisions for protection, conservation and effective use of land for growth and sustainable development. It has addressed concerns for indigenous communities including tribes and their cultural and social values apart from economy and livelihood.

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Acknowledgements

I thank Shri Ashish Aman Sinha for field assistance and other useful support in preparing this article. Thanks are due to Professor M. C. Behera for his valuable inputs to the paper.

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  1. Sociological Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Giridih, Jharkhand, India

    Hari Charan Behera

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  1. Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, India

    Maguni Charan Behera

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Behera, H.C. (2019). Land, Property Rights and Management Issues in Tribal Areas of Jharkhand: An Overview. In: Behera, M. (eds) Shifting Perspectives in Tribal Studies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8090-7_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8090-7_13

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