Constitution of independent India has sought to protect rights of the tribals by providing for commissions like minority commission and national human rights commission. Unfortunately, despite these numerous measures, the tribal population as a whole is not free from social, economic, and political oppression and appropriation by more powerful groups. This has led to lot of hardships to the tribal population in the form of land grabbing and isolation, compelling them to leave their homesteads and migrate to new places with the resultant poverty, destitution, and marginalization. Jiwati sub-district had been in news since early 2005 as an NGO brought to fore some incidences of grabbing of tribal lands by non-tribals. Such incidents have been reported in past also. To understand the process of land alienation and causes thereof, to find out the status of the households to whom the land was restored, and to understand the intricacies of restoration including the problems that the civic authorities would have to face to execute such simple looking decision, SHODH undertook this study. SWOT (Strength, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) was used as a tool to analyze the situation. Based on the primary and secondary data collected in this study many suggestions were given to the Collector of Chandrapur district, who had suggested undertaking of this study.

Study Funding: SHODH: The Institute for Research and Development, Nagpur

Study Output: Report no. 03-06, May 2006 © SHODH