• ADMINISTRATION OF TRIBAL AREAS

UNIT 14 – THE UNION TERRITORIES – PART 3

  • Administration of Tribal Areas

The tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram are provided with special administrative machinery to ensure their socio-economic development along with the protection of their unique culture, customs and civilization. The sixth schedule contains provisions for the administration of tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The provisions of the sixth schedule are as follows:

  1. The tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram are constituted as ‘Autonomous Districts’ with a considerable level of autonomy to govern their affairs.
  2. The Governor is authorised to increase or decrease the area and alter the boundary of autonomous districts.
  3. The Governor can further divide an autonomous district into multiple autonomous regions when multiple tribal communities live in the same autonomous district.
  4. A district council is created for each autonomous district and a regional council is created for each autonomous region within an autonomous district.
  5. The district and regional councils are responsible for the administration of the areas under their jurisdiction. They can also constitute village councils or courts to deal with the cases between the tribes. The Governor determines the jurisdiction of the High Court of the state over these cases.
  6. The district and regional councils can make laws on matters such as social customs, marriage, divorce, inheritance of property, forests, land, canal water and so on and all such laws require the assent of the governor.
  7. The district council can make regulations for restricting the money lending and trading activities of non-tribals in the tribal areas and all such regulations need the assent of the governor.
  8. The district council can establish and manage primary schools, local markets, roads, dispensaries and so on.
  9. The district council can impose certain taxes and collect land revenue.
  10. The acts of Parliament and state legislature are not applicable to these areas or they are applicable with modifications and exceptions.

The Governor can appoint a commission to study the administration of these areas and submit a report on the same to him.

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