An Analytical Study on Entrepreneurial Activity as a Tool for Socio- Economic Development of Tribal Women in Kollimalai Hills, Namakkal District in TamilNadu

Entrepreneurship plays an important role in the economic development of a country by taking important inputs from financial, physical, social and infrastructural facilities for progress. Entrepreneurial activity is also important for the development of the tribals who are considered the backward section of the Indian society. Entrepreneurship plays pivotal role in accelerating the economy, generating employment, eradication of poverty and exploitation of natural resources for the economic development of the country. After the emergence of Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation (LPG) concept the government has shifted its role from job provider to a facilitator of job creator. With this more and more younger people get attracted to undertake entrepreneurial activities for self employment and employment to others also. Entrepreneurial qualities and skills are essential for industrial development as well as eradication of poverty by means of creating self employment and employment to others. The Central and the State governments are trying their best for promotion of entrepreneurship among the economically backward castes, particularly in scheduled tribes through policy measures and institutional network. Keeping in view the need and importance of the entrepreneurship development among underprivileged communities, The tribal situation in the country presents a varied picture. Some areas have high Tribal concentration while in other areas tribal’s have a small portion of the total population. There are some tribal groups, which are still at the food gathering stage, some others practice shifting cultivation, yet other may be pursuing primitive forms of agriculture. Scheduled Tribes (STs) are official designations given to various groups of historically disadvantaged people in India.. In modern literature, the Scheduled Tribes is used as an official term for Adivasis. The Scheduled Tribes comprise about 8.6 percent of India's population according to the 2011 census. The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 lists 744 tribes across 22 states in its First Schedule. Since independence, the Scheduled Tribes were given Reservation Status, guaranteeing political representation. The Constitution lays down the general principles of affirmative action for STs. The Constitution of India provides for a comprehensive framework for the socio-economic development of Scheduled Tribes and for preventing their exploitation by other groups of society. A detailed and comprehensive review of the tribal problem was taken on the eve of the Fifth Five Year Plan and the Tribal sub-Plan strategy took note of the fact that an integrated approach to the tribal problems was necessary in terms of their geographic and demographic concentration