President Pranab Mukherjee today expressed concern over the dwindling numbers of some of India's indigenous tribes even as he called for policies for their development to be in line with their way of life.
The overwhelming view as regards policies on tribal populations is that assimilation had failed given that many important tribes have vanished, Mukherjee said, adding that such policies should not be static but have the flexibility as per the needs of time.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Andaman and Nicobar Tribal Research Institute (ANTRI), Mukherjee said that the needs of tribal populations should not fulfilled in a manner which went against their ways.
He hoped that the institute would undertake studies which will help in the formulation of policies for the welfare of the tribes of Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Told of a proposal for a museum to be set up by ANTRI, he said that the focus for the project should be on holding research into tribal life.
