58

TRIBAL DEMOGRAPHY IN NORTH-EAST INDIA

Northeast India, comprising the states of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya,

Nagaland, Tripura and the Union Territories of Arunachal Pradesh and

Mizoram together has an area of 255,037 sq. k.m. which is nearly 8 per

cent of the total geographical area of the country. 1 It is inhabited by more

than lakh people constituting 3.8 per cent of the total population of India

in 1981. 2 The rate of population growth in northeast India since 1901 has

always been higher than in national average. It was moderate till 1951,

but a faster growth has been observed there after. The total population of

north-east India increased from 102.61 lakh 3 in 1951 to 259.86 lakh

(excluding Arunachal Pradesh) in 1981 representing a rapid growth of

159.86 per cent over the thirty-year period as against an increase of

89.37 percent of India as a whole during the same period. Some scholars

tried to explain this growth (with special reference to Assam) a being an

account of higher birth rate and reduced death rate only. Migration,

according to them, contributes only marginally to this rapid growth.

However, the figures of birth rate, death rate and migration cast doubts

oh this conclusion. 4 Migration did play an important role throughout the

period in 1951-1981. Had north-east India's population in 1951 increased

at the national rate, it would have stood at 194.311akh in 1981. Since the

figure (excluding Arunachal Pradesh) was 259.86 lakh, the excess of

65.55 lakh persons constituting 25.23 per cent of its 1981 population

may be attributed to migrants and their descendants during the post-

independence period. Adding the excess population of Arunachal Pradesh

sould increase the figure still further. No other region in post independence
 /

59

India underwent such profound demographic changes with concomitant

socio-economic implications. 5

According to the 1971 census the tribal populations was 22.19 per

cent of the total population of the region the proportion varying from

94.26 per cent in Mizoram, to 10.99 per cent in Assam. 6 The Scheduled

Tribes in northeast India fall into two broad categories namely the hill

tribes living in the hilly area of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya

and Nagaland and the hill districts of Assam, Manipur and Tripura and

the plain tribes living in the valley areas of Assam, mainly the tribes of

the Brahmaputra Valley.7 The two categories indicate differences in cultural

characteristics. Most of the hill tribes remained isolated till the time to the

British occupation. The plains tribes however have been living with other

non-tribal communities. Since time immemorial and there has been a

great amount of cultural give and take between the tribes and other

neighbouring communities. 8 Demographically Scheduled tribes in the hills

from a majority in Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh,

· while in the valley region of Assam, Manipur and Tripura they are a

minority. The size of the tribes varies considerably: there are very small

tribes with only a few hundred individuals and very large ones comprising

several lakh of individuals. More than 55 per cent of the tribal population

of the region was in the states of Assam (36.33 percent) and Meghalaya

(18.53 per cent in 1971. 9

Location quotient gives the highest concentration of the tribal

population of district level in relation to the total population of the country

in Mizoram. Nagaland and Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh followed

 60

by Meghalaya and districts of Siang, Tirap and Qameng of Arunachal

Pradesh. 10 These refugees are secluded from man's habitat and are

characterised by unattractive features such as rugged tarried, forests and

non-agriculture IandY The tribals were pushed into these inhospitable

pockets by people who had newly came and occupied the better grounds.

In districts where the process of urbanisation has already started. Such as

Goalpara, Lakhimpur, Karbi Anglong, North Cachar and Lohit tribal

concentration is low. The urban areas where tribal concentration is least

are Kamrup, Darrang, Sibsagar, Nowgong, Cachar and Imphal. The

concentration of the tribal people in the hills and backward areas is of

great significance for their cultural orientation and for the formulation of

strategies for their social and economic development. 12

Trend and Pattern of Tribal Population:

Despite its immense economic, social and political significance tribal

demography in northeast India has received inadequate attention from

the scholars. The main purpose of this section is to highlight certain

important aspects of the trend and pattern of tribal population growth in

the northeast in post-independence India. 13

During 1961-1971 the rate of growth of tribal population in northeast

India was lower that that of the general population from the fact that

Assam was an exception it can be safely concluded that the migration of

non-tribal population has taken place during the decade the tribal

dominated areas of the northeast. This is also reflected by the fact that

the percentage of the tribal population to total population is on the decline

in all the units of the northeast except Assam. 14 Even the 1971 Census
 61

report admits that there was an influx of outsides to certain parts of

Arunachal Pradesh in spite of inner line restrictions. The influx of migrants

into tribal areas of northeast India may be attributed mainly to economic

factors. In spite of having a distinct social identity these migrants have

faced no resistance from the tribal people because of their superior skill

in agriculture, dairy farming, trade and commerce. They also work as

wage labourers for which tribal people are not easily available. Out of

65.651akh total migrants in northeast India during 1951-1981 as estimated

by us, nearly 24.43 lakh migrants belong to the state of Assam in 1971. 15

This indicates the dimension of the migration problems in the rest of the

region where the tribal population numerically dominated the total

population. It not checked, this process of migration would create

complicated social-economic and ethnic problems in the region in the

near future. 16

The natural increase of the tribal population in the region is very

low. 12 The annual natural growth rate estimated from birth and death

data for the villages of the region was 1.66 in Kanther Terang (Karbi

village), 1.40 in Benshidua (Garo village), 0.58 in Hmnpui (Mizo village'

0.62 in Khonsa (Nokete village) and 3.44 in Mawtrum (Khasi village)Y

Such slow natural growth rate of the general population in tribal areas

also clearly supports the hypothesis that there is an influx of population

from outside. This has become a problem of great concern for the tribal

leaders of the region. This was manifested, for instance, in the Subansiri

project (Arunachal Pradesh) of the Brahmaputra Board where the Board

had to face a number of obstacles including the reservations of tribal

 62

leaders about the future demographic consequences for the union

territory. 18 It is feared that if the project is implemented and the tribal

population will become a minority in their own homeland. The fear of

losing their ethnic identity looms large on the tribal's horizon. 19

In Assam the percentage increase of the tribal population has jumped

from 7.42 in 1951 to 44.55 in 1961 and 37.95 in 1971, 20 such irregular

fluctuations cannot be explained only in terms of higher birth rate and

lower death rate. Rather they are reflective of the greater consciousness

of the tribals about their ethnic identity leading to more accurate reporting

of their numbers in the last two censuses. District level data on the tribal

population of Assam reveal some interesting details, which are difficult to

€xplain without further primary investigation. It is seen for example that

there was a drastic fall in the rate of increase in the tribal population of

Cachar district from No. 09 percent in 1951-1961 to 8.57 percent in

1961-1971. 21 Similarly the population change of the major tribes in the

plains indicates that there was an abnormal percentage. Increase of Boro,

Boro-Kachari and Sonowal group of 60.11 during 1951-1961 while there

was a drop in this groups percentage increase to 21.64 during the next

decade. 22

The rate of increase of Lalung was 17.84 per cent in 1951-1961,

which jumped to 55.05 per cent in 1961-1971. The Miris showed a higher

percentage increase of 50.24 and 58.79 in 1951-1961 and 1961-1971

respectively. These are some of the vital findings of the census that requite

further primary investigations to present the tribal demographic profile of

Assam more accurately. 23

 63

The general awareness of the important role of population factors in

the ultimate process of the social-economic development of the

northeastern region calls for a change in opinion about the National

Population policy and its basic philosophy with respect to the population

question. 24 The population behaviour of the northeast cannot be compared

with that of other parts of India. Hence a regional approach should be

attempted to tackle the problem more effectively. Therefore, the concept

of a Regional Population Policy for northeast India requires immediate

attention from scholars and policy makers. 25 Effective measures are also

essential to ensure the economic and political future particularly for the

tribal inhabitants of the region to preserve their socio-cultural identity.

While many of these problems call for an intensification of economic and

social development programmes, it seems very clear that further

development and refinement of our national population policy should

become a feature of planning during the coming years. Once the appropriate

policy formulated and approved, it will be the prime responsibility of the

government to implement- it effectively. The future socio-economic and

political development of entire northeast India will largely be determined

26
by such policy measures and their effective implementation.

Tribal societies faced with modern innovative are in a state of tension.

The conflict is between forces that seek to promote change and those that

strive to maintain the status quo. The former try to throw the traditional

structure of society off balance, and the latter seek to prevent it. 27 The

extent of acceptance or rejection of innovative measures is a reflection of

the extent of the balance between the opposing forces. When the
 64

frameworks of traditional forces are weakened, modern political and social

frameworks and institutions and many important indices of modernisation
gather strength. 28 Among such are urbanisation, diversification and modern
forms of political organisation. But organisation does not necessarily create
institutions that would facilitate the transition of traditional societies to
modernity. This is specially so in tribal societies where large parts of the
societies remind tradition bound although they are continually drawn into
wider, more differentiated and specialised institutional frameworks. 29

Modernisation in tribal societies is usually a gradual and slow process.

This may be because of the democratic and classless nature of tribal
society where no group or clan was viable enough to corner the benefits
to the changed circumstances initially. 30 In the long run, a new middle
class is bound to emerge. The attitudes and aspirations of this class,
usually comprising the educated and commercialised section of the society
are a break away from those of the traditional society. They have dual
loyalties and a double role in the process of development. The middle
class is the agent of change and the cause of the tension with the traditional
society. An understanding of the nature of these classes and the pace and
rapidity with which it emerges can lead us to an understanding of the
tension between the forces of modernity and tradition. This paper tries to
highlight the nature of these opposing forces in Mizoram particularly in
the wake of the grouping of villages. 31
 65

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 66

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