Introduction:
The tribals of India who constitute 8.23% of the population, have many problems some in common with non-tribals and some which are peculiar to them. Many of the problems are inter-related in the sense that one problem may led to another and an integrated view has to be taken in tackling these problems.
Chronic indebtedness:
Chronic indebtedness is a major problem of almost all tribes in India. May be with the exception of a few tribal states in the North East, indebtedness has forced the tribes to fall into the clutches of moneylenders. Though there is no absolutely reliable anthropological data, one can make a statement with some degree of confidence that the problem was not there till the second half of 19th century.
Causes of indebtedness:
The main causes for indebtedness are:
- Loss of tribal rights with respect to land and forests
- Low yield from traditional agricultural practices
- Low income from agricultural and other traditional occupations.
- Poor exploitation of resources.
- Monetisation of the economy
- Shift in consumption patterns. (More often consumption of unnecessary goods for which they have to pay in cash)
- Heavy expenditure of life cycles rituals
- Carrying out Panchayat penalties and fines
- Ignorance and illiteracy; and
- Exploitation by money-lenders.
Unfortunately, due to their ignorance and low literacy the money-lenders have exploited them. The money-lender’s methods are simple and convenient-no sureties, no guarantors, no filling up of forms, etc. All that a tribal has to do is to put his thumb impression on plain paper or on a written stamp paper, which he cannot read. He may, without knowing, mortgage his land. Dr. Sachindra Narayan who studied the Sauria Paharia, records in detail the cases with which the Mahajans (money lenders) exploit the Saurias. During the period from November to February, which is the agricultural season for the Sauria Paharias, Mahajans are a common sight. Normally they charge 50% interest on cash loans and 100% on loans given in kind. It is common for the Mahajans to take grains from Saurias at current market grains in a locally made wooden measre(Paila) which is neither uniform nor standardised. The price of the grain is deducted from the amounts to be repaid. The Paharia also are aware that once they go to a Mahajan for loans they cannot come out of his clutches easily. They do not understand his system of accounting; but even then, the Mahajan continue to be popular. This state of affairs was recorded by Sachindra Narayan in 1986.
In Maharasthra and Tripura(dadan – purchasing crop in advance), some of the poor tribes take seeds on loan for sowing and return thrice or even four times the quantity borrowed (the system is called Palemod). Thus, the tribals may Surrender a major portion of their harvest.
NOW compare this procedure with other sources of credit like cooperative credit societies established by various state governments. Most of these are found to be situated at far off places from the tribal’s
habitat. He has to encounter a number of formalities, cumbersome procedures and documents. Besides, security and guarantor are also needed to fulfil various provisions of credit disbursement. Normally
there is a time lag of at least a couple of months between the date of application and date of disbursement of loan. Then unscrupulous officials demand their share. All these hurdles apart, the government sponsored credit societies advance loans for only productive purposes
like improvement in cultivation, purchase of implements, soil conservation, etc., but the poor tribal needs loans for consumption and subsistence, to fulfil various social and ritual obligations. The moneylender places no conditions and offers loan for any purpose.
THE personal human contact which the moneylender maintains with his debtor is also significant factor. He speaks the tribal’s language, knows the entire family history and background and circumstances leading .to the debtor’s need of money. Significantly, he accepts the repayment of the loan in any form – in cash or in kind.
Even the the erstwhile Planning Commission recognised the magnitude of this problem it said in one of its reports, “no programme of economic development is likely to have any impact on the tribal economy unless vigorous measures are taken to rescue the tribal from the clutches of the moneylenders”.
Consequences of indebtedness:
The unfortunate consequences of Indebtedness are
- Land alienation and transfer of land to non-tribals.
- Bonded and unpaid labour
- Sale of girls and women in prostitution; and
- Chronic venereal diseases.
Remedial Measures.
The Fifth Scheduled enables the governor of a state to regulate moneylenders’ business in scheduled areas. Various state governments have passed laws in this regard. Some of the important laws passed by different states to control and curb money lending are:
1. The Bihar State Scheduled areas Money lenders Regulation, 1985.
2. The Andhra Pradesh State Scheduled Area Money-lenders.
3. The Assam Money lenders Regulation 1968
4. The Kerala Money Lending Act, 1958
5. The Orissa Money lender (Application of certain Provisions) regulation, 1950.
6. Rajasthan Sagro System Abolition Act,1961.
Inspite of the statutory Provisions for regulating the activities of the moneylenders, there has been no improvement in the situation. The planning Commission report on tribal development programmes point out that due to:
- Lack of will and commitment on the part of state governments;
- Non-enforcement or weak enforcement of the penal provisions
- Inadequate use application of the protective provisions of the Fifth Scheduled,’
The tribals continue to be exploited by the moneylenders.
PLANNING Commission’s Report of the Study Team on the Tribal Development Programmes has summed up the situation with clarity. It is of the View that the attack on tribal indebtedness should be two pronged if it is to be effective and enduring. On the one hand, long-term credit should be provided to enable the tribal to free himself from the stranglehold of the usurious moneylenders, and on the other hand his repaying capacity should be raised by improving his economic conditions. Cooperative credit should be forthcomin in an adequate measure and the procedure simplified to attract the tribal to take advantage of the credit facilities provided by the society. But the crux of the problem still remains —it needs political will, commitment, honesty and integrity on the part of those who are supposed to be protectors of tribal interests. In the absence of these the coming regulations, provisions and
schemes shall continue to be treated as mere pieces of paper