India has traversed a long journey to achieve political independence, yet the nation continues to grapple with deep-rooted social inequalities relating to gender, caste, minorities, and tribal communities. Despite numerous government policies and interventions by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), tribal development initiatives often fail to align with the actual realities of tribal life.

Over the past seven decades, successive governments have launched several tribal development programmes, with an investment of thousands of crores of rupees. However, the living conditions of tribal communities remain largely unchanged. This raises a critical question: are the authorities unaware of the ground realities, or is there a gap between policy formulation and its implementation?

The major issues affecting tribal development are poverty, poor health outcomes, and land alienation. According to the Census of India 2011, tribals constitute 8.6% of the total population. Ironically, while minerals form the backbone of India’s economic growth, they are often concentrated in the same regions inhabited by tribal communities. As a result, development projects, mining activities, and large-scale industrialization have led to land displacement, forced migration, and environmental degradation, severely affecting tribal livelihoods.

This paper particularly focuses on the health challenges of tribal communities and explores possible remedies that could be addressed through effective governmental policies and inclusive development strategies.