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This is the age of globalisation. Whether one likes it or not, the process had set in way in the early 1990s, particularly after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Communist regimes of Eastern Europe.

What is Globalisation? Globalisation refers to the integration of national economies leading to the nation of a borderless global economy. It can be visualised as an interwoven net of factories, fields and forests; banks, governments, labouring and farming populations, cities and transport spread all over the surface of earth.

Twin Role of National Economy: A nation tries to organise its economy on a national scale in order to perform a two-sided task. The development of a strong economy to raise the standards of living of peoples and to increase national power in the international ­arena. If we look at European history, the birth of ‘National Economy� is closely linked with the use of international trade to enhance national power. Internal trade is frequently interpreted as the continuation of war by other means. (Avinash Jha: ground to globalisation, 2001 p.12)

The creation of a strong national economy involves the breakdown of local and regional economic patterns and other replacement by modern national and international economic patterns.

Globalisation VS. Modernisation: This process is also called modernisation. Modernisation has a connotation of scientific and technological developments; but, it is integrally linked with the modemisation of the economy itself. The production of goods has to be organised in a modem way. Original producers and the link between them and the raw materials is disrupted, the sources of finance change. Gone were the days when tribals used to collect raw materials like Rita, Sikai and used to sell them for their livelihood. They also used these materials for headbath. But today they collect the same but find few or no buyers. Because they themselves are not using them. Instead they are using shampoos, soaps and talcum powders for personal beauty and skin care. Then again, old raw materials are used processed for new products. For example, trees from forests are made available (hitherto felled by the tribes for firewood) now to the paper industry at extremely low costs. People who made things from bamboo from forests had to pay high costs for the same.

Roads that Changed the Lives: Thanks to the heavy investment made by the World Bank to modernise the roadways, as part of hastening the process of globalisation, the face of villages in remote tribal areas have undergone a radical change.

Earlier, the remote village Gangapur of Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh had no access to modemisation. But the village is opening up a whole new world for its people and those in nine surrounding hamlets, thanks to laying the roads. Earlier, it used to be a day’s travel by bullock cart to reach the town of Pembi; 40 km. away. (The Hindu: 10.06.06). It took double the time during the rains. But all that changed with a 12 km. road connecting Gangapur to the main road an the nearest town of Kadam.

Despite fertile lands and abundant ground water, Gangapur and the surrounding hamlets remained poor; the villagers followed primitive methods of cultivation. Traders and middlemen became fat with the yield while the farmers starved.

Education and health care facilities were almost non-existent, officials stayed away from these remote villagers.

The road saved the villagers from the middlemen, who had till then dictated the price of paddy, turmeric, cotton and maize.

The tribals were never paid cash immediately, but only after a fortnight. If money was to be paid immediately, the trader would deduct another two per cent. And so innocent were the Tribals that none questioned the re-­exploiting practices.

But today the villagers are changed a lot. Some of them go to Kadam town to know the prevailing market prices. In addition to this, they interact with officials and learn the latest fanning techniques to till the lands and increase the produce. They now sell Mahua flowers, beedi leaves collected from the forests to Girijan Co-Operative Corporation in Kadam.

Trappings of Globalisation: Besides the perceptible improvement in income levels, an attitudinal change among the tribals is clearly evident. Education, jobs through reservation quota, particularly supported by the Police to counter the influence of Maoists, have radically changed the life style of the Tribal youth.

Corporate ‘goodies� have affected their live style significantly. Along with development activity, globalisation has ushered in the habits of modem world. There is a great demand for Tiklies, (plastic bindis), soft-drinks, mineral water bottles, beer, and gutkha. They are supplied at the three provision shops that have sprang up in Gangapur. They are flooded with cosmetic items like shampoos, face powder packs, ‘bras�, ‘panties� (under clothes) and other beauty aids. Tribal girls no longer wear their traditional dresses except on festive occasions.

Then, in Gangapur alone Colour T. V.s with satellite connections have come up in a big way. The entire village is now connected with dish antenna covering around 100 T.V. sets. The villagers mostly watch Telugu soap operas and movies on pirated VCDs bought in Kadam. “We have about 70 VCD players in the village�, the Tribals say. (The Hindu: 10.06.06).

Transformation of Tribal Life and Economy: Thanks to globalisation a perceptible change is clearly visible in the tribal life and Economy of Andhra Pradesh as is evident from the above micro-study of Gangapur village of Adilabad district.

The new generation of the tribals - many of them - have given up their traditional occupation and look to sell their labour to the new producers. Artisans too face the same problem. And economy is created and the old economy is destroyed. Along with the old economy, the society and culture are also transformed. They are changed not because of the availability of new products but because the       new economy requires the institutionalisation of a different set of motives, skills, activities, social relations which are closely linked with the larger socio-economic patterns of national/international kind. (Avinash Jha: ground To Globalisation: 2001 pp 13-14).

The process affects sections of people in different ways; It depends on who has the power to negotiate the pace and kind of change. For example, Brahmins in the state found it easier to make use of modern educational facilities since traditionally they possessed intellectual skills of a formal kind. The modem economy demands such skills. Artisans belonging to lower castes and tribes have different kinds of knowledge and skills which have become outdated to the modem economy. Hence they have no choice but to become labourers, unskilled or semi-skilled workers.

An Overview: Globalisation is hastening the process of destruction of local production and local markets. Gone were the days of Shikai, Rita, Pulse powders (Sunni Pindi), neem twigs and Kumkum. Today they are replaced by shampoos, tiklis, tooth brush and tooth paste of hundred and one brands which have swept into remote villages. Mineral water and Knockout beers are available in plenty compared to potable water in Andhra Pradesh. While drinking water is a scarce commodity liquor is freely available in remote villages like Gangapur of Adilabad district. Even women are visiting bars to sip 5000 Beer!

Globalisation also brought into the picture the transnational corporations. They jockey with one another and against local interests. Coconut water is replaced by cola and thums up. Carrying mineral water bottles has become not merely a necessity but also a status symbol. Now villagers use mouth phrases of modernisation i.e. pollution, environment, ecology, water contamination though in an incoherent way. Thus, the impact of globalisation is very significant on the tribal life and their economy.