Hazaribagh Jharkhand Coal Tribal Community Economy

Hazaribagh in the Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand sits at the centre of the Jharkhand coal belt, where adivasi tribal communities from Munda, Oraon, and Bedia groups historically inhabited forest lands before coal mines expanded across the Damodar valley. The intersection of tribal rights, coal extraction, and forest livelihoods creates a complex political economy in Hazaribagh. Community forest rights CFR recognised under the Forest Rights Act 2006 allow village forest protection committees to manage and benefit from sal forest produce including sal leaves for plate making, sal seed for Sal butter fat, tendu leaves for beedi rolling, and medicinal herbs. Cooperative Van Suraksha Samiti forest management committees protect forests from encroachment and illegal felling while enabling sustainable NTFP collection. Hazaribagh is also known for Sohrai and Khovar wall painting traditions, with women of Kurmi community decorating home walls with geometric animal and nature murals using natural earth pigments during harvest festival season.