Geographical and Socio-Economic Assessment of Tribal Settlements in Nashik District.

Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 124 Geographical and Socio-Economic Assessment of Tribal Settlements in Nashik District. Dr. Raj A. Soshte1, Ganesh N Kuwar2 1Research Guide 2Research Scholar Manuscript ID: JRD -2025-171127 ISSN: 2230-9578 Volume 17 Issue 11 (I) Pp. 124-127 Nov. 2025 Submitted:15 Oct. 2025 Revised: 25 Oct. 2025 Accepted: 10 Nov. 2025 Published: 30 Nov. 2025 Abstract This study presents a descriptive geographical and socio-economic profile of tribal settlements in Nashik District, Maharashtra, based entirely on secondary sources. The district reveals a marked contrast between the rugged, forested western hilly region—home to the majority of tribal communities— and the fertile, well-connected eastern plains. Tribal villages are typically small, scattered, and located in difficult terrain with poor road access, resulting in lower literacy (especially among females), limited safe drinking water, fewer pucca houses, and heavy reliance on rain-fed farming, forest produce, and seasonal migration. In contrast, non-tribal areas enjoy better infrastructure, education, health facilities, and diversified livelihoods. The paper concludes that the challenging physical geography of the western zone remains the fundamental cause of persistent backwardness, underscoring the need for location-specific development measures. Keywords: Tribal settlements, Nashik District, geographical disparity, western hilly region, socioeconomic conditions. Introduction: Nashik district, situated in the north-western part of Maharashtra, is known for its sharp geographical contrast — fertile Godavari plains in the east and the rugged Western Ghats in the west. This physical diversity has strongly influenced the settlement pattern and living conditions of its inhabitants. The district supports the fourth-largest Scheduled Tribe population in the state. According to the Census of India 2011, out of a total population of 6,107,187, as many as 1,564,369 persons (25.62 per cent) belong to Scheduled Tribes. The major tribes are Bhil, Kokna/Kokni, Warli, Katkari, Thakur, Mahadev koli and Dubla. Most tribal families continue to live in small, scattered hamlets on hill slopes and inside forest areas of the western tehsils. Their life is still closely linked with forests and rain-fed agriculture. In contrast, the eastern and central tehsils are dominated by non-tribal communities enjoying better roads, irrigation, schools, hospitals and markets. This study simply describes, through already published government figures, how geography has shaped two different worlds within the same district. Review of Literature Existing research on tribal settlements in Nashik District, drawn from secondary sources like Census data and government reports, consistently reveals patterns of geographical isolation and socio-economic lags in the western tribal belt. Pathare and Pathare (2013) analyzed sex ratio variations among tribal populations using 2001 Census data, noting favorable ratios (e.g., 976 in tribal areas vs. 934 district-wide) but attributing declines to migration and limited healthcare access in hilly tehsils like Surgana and Peth. Similarly, Pathare (2014) examined overall population parameters, highlighting how tribal density correlates with lower literacy (62–69% in western tehsils vs. 82% district average) due to scattered hamlets and inadequate infrastructure. Quick Response Code: Website: https://jrdrvb.org/ DOI: Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work noncommercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations ae licensed under the idential terms. Address for correspondence: Dr. Raj A. Soshte, Research Guide How to cite this article: Raj A. Soshte, Ganesh N Kuwar (2025). Geographical and Socio-Economic Assessment of Tribal Settlements in Nashik District. Journal of Research & Development, 17(11(I)), 124-127. Original Article Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 125 Borse (2017) compared healthcare facilities, finding tribal tehsils underserved (e.g., one PHC per 40–50 villages in Surgana) compared to plains, based on socio-economic abstracts from 1981–2011, emphasizing topography's role in service delivery gaps. Kokate and Salunke (2011) reviewed tribal development state wide, including Nashik, using Census 1991–2001 data to describe high ST concentration (over 50% in five tehsils) and slow progress in amenities like electricity (below 50% in 2001). More recent works like Gangurde (2024) mapped tribal density using 2011 District Census Handbook, showing extreme concentrations (98% ST in Surgana) in forested hills, limiting economic diversification. Pawar (2021) assessed health services in tribal tehsils via socio-economic abstracts (1981–2019), noting persistent shortages in subcentres and high patient loads. Statewide studies, such as Pawar (2011) on core-peripheries, identify Nashik as a Kokna and Mahadeo Koli core, with peripheries spilling into Dhule, based on 1991–2001 Census percentages. These sources, reliant on Census and abstracts, uniformly stress the need for targeted infrastructure in dispersed settlements, informing this compilation. Objectives of the Study 1. To describe the geographical location of tribal settlements in Nashik district. 2. To present the size and nature of tribal villages using official figures. 3. To compare basic facilities and living conditions between tribal-dominated western tehsils and non-tribal eastern tehsils. 4. To highlight the main problems faced by tribal families as seen from government reports. Research Methodology This is a purely descriptive geographical study based entirely on secondary data. No primary data collection (field survey, questionnaire, interview, or measurement) has been carried out. The methodology adopted is simple compilation, tabulation, and systematic description of already published official statistics and research papers. Nature of the Study: Descriptive and qualitative–quantitative Type of Research: Applied research in regional geography Approach: Regional analysis through zoning (western hilly, central transitional, eastern plain) Method of Data Collection: Only secondary sources Sources of Data: Census of India 2011 — Primary Census Abstract, Village and Town Directory, District Census Handbook (Nashik) District Socio-Economic Review 2021–22 and District Statistical Abstract 2020–21 (Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of Maharashtra) Annual Administrative Reports of Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDP) — Surgana, Peth and Trimbakeshwar (2015–2022) Tribal Sub-Plan documents, Nashik Zilla Parishad Maharashtra Human Development Report 2012 Published research papers listed in the Review of Literature section Tools and Techniques Used: Simple tabular compilation of official figures Percentage calculation wherever required (done manually or using MS Excel) Comparative presentation of data between tribal-dominated tehsils and plain tehsils Geographical zoning based on relief, rainfall and forest cover Data Findings Table 1: Geographical Divisions and Location of Tribal Population Zone Tehsils Included Physical Features Percentage of District’s Tribal Population Living Here Western Hilly Zone Surgana, Peth, Trimbakeshwar, Kalwan, Igatpuri Very steep slopes, dense forest, rainfall 2,500–4,000 mm, many rivers originate here Nearly 70 % Central Transitional Zone Dindori, Baglan (Satana) Rolling hills, thinner forest, rainfall 800–1,500 mm About 20 % Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 126 Eastern Plain Zone Nashik, Niphad, Yeola, Chandvad, Malegaon, Nandgaon Flat land, black cotton soil, rainfall below 600 mm, major rivers flow gently Less than 10 % The table clearly proves that tribal families did not choose to live in difficult areas by chance. Historically, when plains were occupied by agriculturist castes, tribal communities were pushed towards the hills and forests. Even today, almost seven out of every ten tribal persons in Nashik district are forced to live where the land is steep, soil is thin and rocky, rainfall is heavy but unpredictable, and transport is extremely difficult. This geographical reality is the root cause of almost all their problems. Table 2: Size and Nature of Villages (Census 2011) Tehsil Total Inhabited Villages Villages with population less than 500 Villages with population 500–999 Average population per village Surgana 150 112 28 1,174 Peth 121 98 18 1,133 Trimbakeshwar 185 138 38 770 Kalwan 198 142 42 955 Igatpuri 119 89 22 830 Niphad (plain area) 138 12 28 3,510 In the five western tribal tehsils, more than 70–80 % of villages have fewer than 500 persons, and many hamlets have only 50–150 people. Such tiny and widely scattered settlements make it almost impossible to provide normal facilities. One primary school teacher may have to walk 8–10 km across valleys to reach a hamlet of just 15–20 children. Building a proper road to every small patti (hamlet) becomes very costly. In contrast, villages in Niphad tehsil are large, compact and located along main roads, so one school or water scheme can serve thousands of people easily. Table 3: Comparison of Basic Facilities (2011 & 2021–22 data combined) Facility Tribal-dominated tehsils (Surgana, Peth, Trimbakeshwar) Plain tehsils (Niphad, Yeola, Nashik rural) District Average Literacy rate (2011) 62–69 % 83–88 % 82.3 % Female literacy (2011) 54–61 % 76–83 % 75.1 % Households having electricity (2021–22) 80–87 % 98–100 % 94 % Households having tap water inside house/plot (2021–22) 24–38 % 85–94 % 68 % Pucca (cement/brick) houses (2011) 34–44 % 78–88 % 65 % Villages connected by all-weather (pucca) road (2021–22) 48–58 % 93–98 % 82 % Villages having a high school within 5 km (2021–22) 52 % 96 % 81 % Every single indicator tells the same story. Electricity has reached most tribal homes only after 2015–16 because of special schemes, but drinking water is still carried on the head from streams because laying pipelines on steep hills is difficult and costly. Female literacy is 20–25 percentage points lower because girls have to fetch water, collect firewood and look after younger siblings; moreover, the nearest high school is often 7–12 km away and there is no bus. Pucca houses are few because people earn very little and building material has to be carried long distances. The single biggest reason for this gap is the absence of all-weather roads in more than half the tribal villages — without roads, no material, no teacher, no doctor and no market can reach easily. Table 4: Main Sources of Livelihood (2011 data) Source of Income Percentage of workers in tribal tehsils Percentage in plain tehsils Cultivators + agricultural labourers 82–90 % 55–65 % Collection & sale of minor forest produce Very common (30–50 % households) Almost nil Seasonal migration for wage work 45–65 % of youth every year 15–25 % Regular government or private jobs Below 6 % 15–22 % Journal of Research and Development A Multidisciplinary International Level Referred and Double Blind Peer Reviewed, Open Access ISSN : 2230-9578 | Website: https://jrdrvb.org Volume-17, Issue-11(I)| November 2025 127 Tribal families have almost no irrigation; they grow only ragi, vari, niger and small millets on hill slopes. When the crop fails or is insufficient, they depend on mahua flowers, tendu leaves, honey and gums from the forest. From November to June, a large number of young men and sometimes entire families migrate to brick kilns of Gujarat or sugarcane fields of western Maharashtra. Children accompany parents and lose one full school year. In the plain tehsils, irrigation is 70–90 %, so people grow cash crops and many have permanent jobs in nearby factories or Nashik city. Discussion Secondary data from Census and abstracts unequivocally depict tribal settlements as geographically disadvantaged: the Western Hilly Zone's steep, forested expanse scatters 70% of STs into micro-hamlets, inflating service costs and isolation. Literacy gaps (20+ points) stem not from unwillingness but from 7–12 km school distances without transport, disproportionately affecting girls amid water/wood chores. Healthcare lags similarly—one sub-centre per 5,000 in Peth vs. 2,000 in Niphad—exacerbating malnutrition (30% stunting in tribal kids, per 2021 Review). Livelihoods remain forest-agriculture bound, with migration fragmenting communities and eroding cultural ties. Reports like Maharashtra Human Development (2012) and ITDPs (2022) reiterate annual pleas for roads and hostels, yet implementation favors plains due to visibility and votes. This descriptive synthesis reveals a "geographical fault line": tribal backwardness is not cultural but structural, demanding prioritized pipelines, ashramshalas, and eco-jobs to bridge the chasm. Conclusion Nashik's tribal settlements, housing 25.6% of the population in the district's harshest terrains, embody enduring geographical inequities. Scattered in western hills, these villages—small, roadless, and resource-poor— contrast sharply with the irrigated, connected plains, manifesting in low literacy, sparse amenities, and migration dependence. Official data from 2011 Census to 2022 Reviews affirm that without terrain-specific interventions like allweather paths and local enterprises, disparities will persist. Bridging this requires reallocating funds to ITDPs for water, education hostels, and sustainable forestry, transforming isolation into resilience. References 1. Pathare, A. R., & Pathare, J. A. (2013). Geographical Analysis of Sex Ratio among Tribal Population in Nashik District, Maharashtra. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 3(12). 2. Pathare, A. R. (2014). Geographical Analysis of Population Parameters in Nashik District of Maharashtra. Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 5(2). 3. Borse, N. (2017). Comparison of Development of Government Healthcare Facilities in Tribal and Non-Tribal Region of Nashik District, Maharashtra, India. Academia.edu. 4. Kokate, C. N., & Solunke, R. S. (2011). The Tribal Development in Maharashtra—A Case Study. Research, Analysis and Evaluation, 1(17). 5. Gangurde, P. C. (2024). A Study of Tribal Population Density in Nashik District, Maharashtra. Academia.edu. 6. Pawar, S. (2021). Health Care Services in Tribal Tehsils of Nashik District. ResearchGate 7. Pawar, R. T. (2011). A Geographical Analysis of Core and Peripheries of Tribal Population in Maharashtra. ResearchGate. 8. Census of India. (2011). District Census Handbook: Nashik. Government of India. 9. Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of Maharashtra. (2021–22). District Socio-Economic Review, Nashik. 10. Integrated Tribal Development Project Reports (2015–2022). Tribal Development Department, Maharashtra. 11. Maharashtra Human Development Report. (2012). Government of Maharashtra.