Mysore/Mysuru: The Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP), University of Mysore (UoM), has initiated a project on Human Development Index calculations for Tribal Groups of Karnataka. The Project is sponsored by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

CSSEIP Director Dr. D.C. Nanjunda said that the research project is moving at a slow pace because of the outbreak of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic last year. A visit to Tribal Hamlets (Haadis) was undertaken in January this year for collection of relevant data, he said.

Noting that Kerala was the first State to prepare the first Tribal Human Development Index  in 2010, he said that now Karnataka becomes the second State to do so.

He further said that the report has gained a lot of significance, especially in the backdrop of recent spate of reservation seeking protests in Karnataka.

The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has funded Rs.30 lakh for the project, he added.

Explaining the objectives of the project, Dr. Nanjunda said that future planning will be done based on the inputs received from the social and economic status of 51 tribal  groups in Karnataka, for which a survey of 2,989 tribal families has been carried out.

Maintaining that  the survey was conducted in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts, he said that however, several micro tribal groups, mentioned in the 2011 census could not be traced. However, the search for such groups is being continued, he added.

UoM  Mandya Post-Graduate Centre  faculty Prof. G.S. Prem Kumar, who is also involved in the project, said that data on the health, education, economic, employment, income, basic facilities, mother and child mortality rate, land encroachment, community participation, gender sensitivity, ground water use, availing  government facilities etc., is being collected. Also, a higher level data will be collected by organising public contact programmes at the taluk level and all the data so collected will be collated and uploaded in the special software developed for the purpose, he added.

 Assistant Professor-cum-Assistant Director of CSSEIP Dr. P.T. Dinesha said that the Index will help in making a scientific assessment of the current status of tribal groups. The research will also throw light on the success and failures of Government programmes meant for tribal welfare and the apt measures that can be taken for reaching out Government schemes to all tribal groups, he added.

For details contact Mob: 09538431672 or email:  [email protected], according to a press release.