How has national development impacted tribal development?
(A) Tribal areas located in mineral rich and forest covered parts of the country paid a disproportionately high price for development.
(B) Large dams, factories and mines were built in Nehruvian era.
(C) Tribals were dispossessed of their land for setting up hydroelectric power plants.
(D) These developments benefitted the tribes at the expense of others.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → (A), (B) and (C) only
(A) Tribal areas located in mineral rich and forest covered parts of the country paid a disproportionately high price for development. Correct. Because the tribal areas were located in mineral rich and forest covered parts of the country, tribals have paid a disproportionate price for the development of the rest of Indian society.
(B) Large dams, factories and mines were built in Nehruvian era. Correct. National development, particularly in the Nehruvian era, involved the building of large dams, factories and mines, mostly in these regions.
(C) Tribals were dispossessed of their land for setting up hydroelectric power plants. Correct. Dispossessing tribals of their land came as a necessary by-product of mining and of using favourable sites for hydroelectric power plants, many of which were in tribal areas.
(D) These developments benefitted the tribes at the expense of others. Incorrect. The statement turns the truth round. This kind of development has benefited the mainstream at the expense of the tribes, who lost their land and forests.
NCERT (2025-26): “National Development versus Tribal Development … The imperatives of ‘development’ have governed attitudes towards tribes and shaped the policies of the state. National development, particularly in the Nehruvian era, involved the building of large dams, factories and mines. Because the tribal areas were located in mineral rich and forest covered parts of the country, tribals have paid a disproportionate price for the development of the rest of Indian society. This kind of development has benefited the mainstream at the expense of the tribes. The process of dispossessing tribals of their land has occurred as a necessary byproduct of the exploitation of minerals and the utilisation of favourable sites for setting up hydroelectric power plants, many of which were in tribal areas.…” |