Varnashram of Aryans: The Aryans divided the community into four functional groups, viz. Khastriya, Brahmin, Vaish and Shudra. Khastriyas were responsible for the administration and safety and security of the community. Brahmins were responsible for meeting the educational and religious needs of the people. Vaish were concerned with the promotion of trade and commerce. Shudra were entrusted with all jobs related with rendering service to Khastriya, Brahmin and Vaish communities. While the people belonging to the Khstriya, Brahmin and Vaish communities were mostly Aryans, the Shudras were adivasis or local people. The divisions were not rigid and horizontal movement from one varna to another was possible. As times rolled on, people of Khastriya, Brahmin and Vaish communities prospered and found dominant roles in the community, in their assigned fields. They complimented each other, socially and economically. The Shudras could not keep pace with the socio-economic developments and gradually, they were left to perform low end services to the people, which made them economically depressed and socially untouchable.
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes: Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes were mentioned for the first time in the Government of India Act of 1935. All depressed classes and untouchables were classified as scheduled castes and adivasis belonging to tribal areas were classified as scheduled tribes. Provision for reservations was made for them in jobs and for representation in public bodies. After independence, the terms scheduled castes and scheduled tribes were enshrined in the constitution and state wise lists of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes were notified. Reservations for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes were initially provided in the constitution for ten years, in the hope, that, efforts will be made during this period to bring them in the main stream and at par with all other communities.
Consequently, during the early years after independence, all round efforts were made for the socio-economic growth and uplift of the people, belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Schools and colleges were started exclusively for them. Hostels were constructed and run exclusively for them. Liberal financial assistance in the form of scholarships was made available to them. Reservations were made for them for appointments in all government and other public services. Special coaching classes were arranged for them to enable them to prepare for state level and central level competitive examinations. However, in spite of all the good work, that, had been initiated, the vested interests of all political parties found it convenient to exploit them politically and assumed the role of mentors for the dominant groups of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes.
Tribals in India: Tribal groups in India have distinct cultural patterns. They are scattered all over India, living in hilly and forest areas. They are mostly dependent on agriculture and forest products. They are tied to their roots, living in isolation, untouched by the winds of change.
Almost everybody, including moneylenders, contractors and missionaries have been exploiting them for centuries. At some time in the past, they used to be the rulers. It looks strange, that, they are being considered now, as the most undeveloped and unemployable people. There is very low level of literacy in tribals, their methods of agriculture and production are primitive and their population is almost stagnant and is gradually declining. Integrated tribal areas development plans were launched in the seventies for the socio-economic growth and development of people belonging to all tribal areas of the country.
Tribals of Banswara: Seventy percent of the people of Banswara are tribals, who have survived for centuries, on the bounties of the forest lands. They are hardy, intelligent and resourceful and were able to weather all the storms through centuries of inhospitable times. Sometimes in the past, they were the rulers of bagar, the areas surrounding Banswara. They retreated to the jungles to escape from the onslaughts of Rajputs and other invaders. They are a close knit bunch of simple folk, tied to their roots. They continued to remain in their shell, while the so called winds of developmental change were encroaching on their traditional habitat and resource base. Most of the tribals of Banswara are Bhils and Meenas dependent for their livelihood on primitive methods of agriculture and processing of forest products. During the seventies, a number of industries and commercial establishments were coming up in Banswara, thereby, opening up avenues for large scale employment and fruitful work for the local people. However, due to lack of education and professional experience, the local people of Banswara and more particularly, the tribals were finding it difficult to land on some of those coveted jobs.
Tribal Area Sub-Plan: During one of my visits to Jaipur in January 1976, I found that there was a scramble for submitting proposals for the newly launched Tribal Area Sub-Plan. Fifth five year plan was already on and therefore, there was a lot of confusion about, what was really involved under tribal area sub-plan. Tribal Area Sub-Plan was intended for the intensive development of the tribal areas and was fully funded by the central government, in addition to the provisions made in the fifth five year plan. After some random thinking, I met GK Bhanot, who was the tribal area development commissioner, at that time. He ultimately rose to the rank of Chief Secretary of Rajasthan. I told him that there is a flurry of development activities at Banswara. All types of small, medium and major industries and commercial establishments are being set up there. Since, there is a substantial shortage of qualified and experienced manpower at Banswara, the industries and commercial establishments of Banswara are recruiting people from outside Banswara and in most cases from outside the state. Our proposal to the development commissioner was simple. We told him that we will request the industries and commercial establishments of Banswara to identify their needs and to select suitable tribal candidates for the jobs likely to be available with them. Thereafter, we would train the selected candidates, in technical institutions and industries of the state, in conformity with their basic job requirements. All that we wanted under the tribal area sub-plan, was a provision of stipends of Rs 400 per month to the tribals during the training period, to enable them to move out of Banswara without any financial burden or worries about boarding and lodging. We did not need any provision for buildings, lands and epuipment or additional staff, as the existing facilities available in the technical institutions and industries of the state were intended to be utilized for training. GK Bhanot looked at the proposal and commented, that, it was an ideal proposal and that is exactly, what was needed, because the proposals do not involve any other expenditure except stipends, which are going to be utilized directly by the tribal people, who are the intended beneficiaries of the tribal area sub-plans.
Banswara Syntex: Banswara Syntex is an integrated textile mill conglomerate, which was established at Banswara in 1976. Initially, it was in the process of commencing spinning operations with 125000 spindles. Since, local candidates with requisite qualifications and shop floor experience were not available at Banswara at that time, they used to obtain a non-availability certificate from the Collector of Banswara and recruit skilled persons from places outside Banswara or even outside Rajasthan. In the first instance, we requested Bnswara Syntex to select sixteen prospective workers for their spinning units from the eligible candidates of scheduled tribes. Thereafter, we undertook to train them in conformity with their shop floor requirements, in the technical institutions and industries of the state. The first batch of sixteen tribal candidates, selected by Banswara Syntex was placed for nine months shop floor training in the spinning units of Maharaja Shree Umaid Mills Pali and were subsequently absorbed by Banswara Syntex in their regular cadres after the return of the trainees from Pali.
Maharaja Shree Umaid Mills: Maharaja Shree Umaid Mills Limited was a leading textile mill of Bangar Group at Pali. It was involved in the production of all types of cotton and synthetic yarns and fabrics. We told them, that, we want to place a batch of sixteen tribal trainees from Banswara as apprentices in their spinning section for a period of nine months. The wonder of wonders was that Maharaja Shree Umaid Mills shifted two spinning unit of about fifty spindles each to the industrial technical institute at Pali. They placed the sixteen tribal trainees from Banswara on those machines, alongwith their spinning unit staff and commenced training-cum-production of yarn on those machines. Principal of the industrial training institute of Pali disbursed the stipend of Rs 400 per month to the trainees and looked after the boarding and lodging arrangements and other training requirements of the trainees.
Subsequently, during our visit to Maharaja Shree Umaid Mills at Pali, the chief executive of the Mills told us that they were in the process of modernization, at that time and were replacing old and worn out machines with new machines. Since, they had to dispose off some of the old machines, they thought about installing two spinning machines in the industrial training institute. Some spare staff of the mills was initially made available for keeping the machines working and it is a matter of satisfaction that Maharaja Umaid Mills has been able to make some contribution in the on- job training and working experience of tribal candidates from Banswara.
Industrial Training Institute at Banswara: An industrial training institute was also established at Banswara under the tribal areas development plan. Initially, it started functioning in temporary accommodation available in the city with conventional electrical and mechanical engineering trades and was helpful in providing basic knowledge and skills to the tribals and other local people. That helped them considerably in getting into the workforce of the newly established industries of Banswara. Gradually, with hard work and experience they were able to create a niche of their own. Subsequently, new trades were introduced in the industrial training institute based on traditional crafts of the tribals for the exploitation of forest products and other local materials and resources.