This paper seeks to examine the twin factors of identity and resources as ingredients of the contemporary tribal predicament. The tribal people of Chhotanagpur in Bihar have become aware of their distinctiveness as a group. This consciousness has been born out of real threats to their traditional way of life and the perception of threat has strengthened and fostered their 'we-feeling'. Regarding economic resources, the contention advanced here is that the tribals now known as the Jharkhandis are economically viable in a way that may disconcert traditional observers. With the help of data for Singhbhum district it is argued that a simple look at bank loans in the rural area provides hints of development possibilities in the tribal region.