This book is rich in both its analytical depth and empirical rigour. It is an important contribution to employment planning in the drylands of India with special reference to tribal societies in transition. Covering a wide range of issues including highly original analyses of total watershed planning and Biomass optimization strategies, the authors argue that developmental planning in the drylands of India must be sensitive to the specific regional ecology. This puts to the test most existing economic theories as the authors focus on the most vulnerable sections of society in that region --- the tribes. Tribal society's response to environment, employment, and poverty leads the authors to argue for massive state intervention to resolve some problems for tribal societies already in a process of transition. conditions.