Area Population

The area under the Tribal Sub Plan in Maharashtra is 50,757 sq. kms., as against the total Geographical area of 3,07,713 sq. kms. of the State. This works out to about 16.5 percent of the geographical area of the State. The comparative figures of the State's population and the tribal population in the last four-decal censuses are given below: -
 

The above mentioned population figures clearly show that during the decade 1999-2001, the tribal population, as a percentage of the total population of the State, is more or less constant at around 9 %. The main tribes in Maharashtra are the Bhils, the Gonds, the Mahadeo Kolis, the Pawras, the Thakurs and the Varlis. There are three tribes Viz., the Kolams (Yavatmal District), the Katkaris (mainly in Thane and Raigad Districts) and the Madia Gonds (Gadchiroli District), which have been notified as Primitive Tribes by the Government of India.

There are 35 Districts in the State and the tribal population is largely concentrated in the western hilly Districts of Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Nashik and Thane (Sahyadri Region).

and the eastern forest Districts of Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Bhandara, Gondia, Nagpur, Amravati and Yavatmal (Gondwana Region). As directed by the Government of India, in 1975-76 the villages where more than 50 Percent of the population was tribal, were constituted into Integrated Tribal Development Projects (I.T.D.Ps.). There were 16 such Government of India approved I.T.D.Ps. Subsequently, the villages where the tribal population was only marginally less than 50 Percent were also constituted into additional I.T.D.Ps. And these were called the Additional Tribal Sub Plan (ATSP) Blocks/Projects. There were 4 such State Government approved ATSP projects. Later taking into consideration the scattered population of tribals in other areas and the educational institutions being run there, I.T.D.Ps. were also sanctioned for Mumbai, Aurangabad and Akola. Consequently, making a total of 39 I.T.D.Ps. In the meantime, the Government of India in recognition of the fact that there were some small concentrations of tribal population just outside the I.T.D.Ps, directed that in a group of villages having a population of about 10,000, if more than 50 Percent were tribals, the villages should be brought under the Modified Area Development Approach (MADA). Similarly, if two or three villages having a total population of 5,000 if more than 50 Percent were tribals, the same should be constituted into a clusters/Mini-MADA. In Maharashtra, there are 43 MADA Pockets and 24 Mini MADA/Clusters There is still considerable overlap between the ATSP and the MADA and Mini MADA /Clusters

Consequent to the reorganisation of the Tribal Development Department done in January, 1992, the 24 P.O.'s jurisdiction have been so delineated that they cover all the tribal in the State, whether living in the ITDP, MADA, Mini MADA/Clusters or scattered elsewhere in the State. In the year 2012, five new I.T.D.Ps at Dhule, Bhandara, kalmunari, Solapur & Pusad State are established. So now there are 29 I.T.D.Ps (Project Offices ) in Maharashtra

According to the 2001 census, out of the total tribal population of the State, about 49 percent reside in the ITDPs, (i.e. the Scheduled Area and the ATSP), MADA and Mini-MADA clusters, and the remaining 51 percent live outside these areas.