Land Governance in Fifth Schedule Areas: A Critical Analysis of Chhattisgarh State

Abstract

The governance of land is central to the political economy of development. In India, The schedule areas are demarcated primarily for the development of adivasis who are officially classified as Scheduled Tribes (STs)/and protection of culture through special legal and administrative provisions in the form of fifth and sixth schedule. The article aims to understand and analyse the land governance in the areas of Fifth Schedule with specific reference to the Chhattisgarh State. It explores the role of Governor in preventing the land alienation. The main data sources include the agriculture census, diversion of forest land for the development projects including the mining along with cases of PESA and FRA using a process tracing methodology. The gradual decline in the size of average land holdings indicates the failure of land governance. There is a need to clear the legal ambiguity between the provisions of Fifth Schedule with particular reference to the role of Governor to establish peace and good governance.