Detailed Summary
The Bharmaur region, situated in Himachal Pradesh, is a designated tribal area populated predominantly by the Gaddi community. With geographical and socio-economic challenges, the region has historically faced deprivation despite its rich cultural heritage. In response to these issues, the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) was launched as part of the broader Tribal Sub-Plan initiated in the Fifth Five-Year Plan.
The ITDP focuses on enhancing the quality of life for the Gaddi people by improving infrastructure, specifically in education and healthcare, and advancing agricultural practices. Key achievements include a significant rise in literacy rates, especially among women, with female literacy increasing from 1.88% in 1971 to 65% in 2011, demonstrating a narrowing gender gap and improving social indicators.
However, benefits have not been uniformly distributed, with certain remote villages still lacking sufficient infrastructure. Economic practices have shifted from traditional subsistence to more diverse agriculture, although many households continue to rely on pastoralism. The drive towards sustainable development includes addressing these disparities while also conserving the region's fragile environment. This case study exemplifies the broader theme of integrated approaches to tribal development and highlights the importance of targeted interventions to uplift marginalized communities.