Present Status of Adivasis Migrated to Assam: A Case study of Golaghat district
Dr. Jatindra Nath Saikia.
Associate Professor
Assam is famous for tea in the world. Tea is a labour intensive industry and there is more than 45 lakhs tea garden labour population living in Assam. This tea garden population comprises the tea labour market in Assam. Almost all the tea garden labourers are from Adivasi community and they had been brought by the Britishers during the colonial rules from different parts of India to engage as labourers in tea industry. These labourers have been suffering from different socio-economic problems since long. The paper discusses their livelihood patterns, socio-economic and educational status etc. The paper also highlights different problems relating to socio-cultural and economic that stands in the way of their development. The paper also discusses the history of migration of tea labourers to Assam and the problems they face to adjust with the local inhabitants due to their different socio-cultural background. The paper incorporates examples of brutality on the part of tea labourers so far as their livelihood is concerned and on the part of business communities when the Adivasis came out to streets with a violent mood to demand their rights.
In order to prepare this paper both primary and secondary data have been used. Primary data have been collected by using an Interview Schedule and convenient sampling method has been used for analyzing them. In depth interviews have been conducted with the leaders of Assam Chah Mazddor Sangha, All Assam Tea Students Association, Assam Adivasi Students Association and a number of renowned scholars of their community.
The paper reveals the present status of tea labourers of Assam in general and Golaghat district in particular.
Key Words: Adivasis, Tea labourer, Livelihood, Unemployment, Assam, Migration.
Present Status of Adivasis Migrated to Assam: A Case study of Golaghat
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