CONTENTS Chapter 1 1. Background 1 1.1 forest resource management in india 1 1.2 tribals and forests 2 1.3 tribals and the forest laws in india 3 1.5 need of the study 6 1.6 aim 7 1.7 research question 7 1.8 objectives 7 1.9 scope of study 8 1.10 limitations of study 8 1.11 framework and methodology 8 1.11.1 pre-fieldwork stage 9 1.11.2 fieldwork 9 1.11.3 post fieldwork stage 11 1.12 data collection methods and techniques 11 Chapter 2 13 2. Edp in india: a review of literature 14 2.1 edp in india 14 2.2 edp in maharashtra 19 2.2.1 review of the edp notifications 19 2.2.2 roles and responsibilities of edc 22 2.2.3 edc structure 23 Chapter 3 25 3. Edp in pench tiger reserve 26 3.1 location and extent: 26 3.2 geography 28 3.3 climate 28 3.4 forest 28 3.5 flora 28 3.6 fauna 29 3.7 history 29 3.7.1 history of pench tiger reserve 29 3.7.2 management of pench tiger reserve 30 Chapter 4 32 4. Study villages’ profile 33 4.1 location 33 4.2 demography 33 4.3 migration 34 4.4 social composition and governance 35 4.5 education 35 4.6 amenities, utilities and infrastructure 36 4.7 villagers and forest relationship 36 4.8 livelihood of the villagers 37 Chapter 5 40 5. Assessment of edp in west ptr 41 5.1 edp in west pench tiger reserve 41 5.1.1 the initial initiative 41 5.1.2 revival of edp 41 5.2 critical analysis of edp notifications 43 5.4 review of village micro plans 43 5.5 critical analysis of edp activities 44 5.5 implementation of edp activities 63 5.6 funds utilization pattern 64 5.7 fringe dwellers’ participation in the edp 65 5.8 fringe dwellers’ understanding of edp 66 5.9 some other issues 67 Chapter 6 71 6. Conclusions and recommendations 72 6.1 conclusions 72 6.2 recommendations 73 Annexure 1: questionnaires 74 Annexure 2: government of maharashtra grs dated 5.10.2011 and 22.12.2011 85 Bibliography 104