Covid 19 has been treated by Government as a national calamity and accordingly different measures including vaccination are ensured for all. Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), has coordinated with the officers in State Tribal Welfare Department, to assess the preventive and curative needs to curb the spread of COVID-19 among tribal communities and extend helping hand in meeting the urgent requirement in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Instructions were issued by Ministry of Tribal Affairs to all States/UTs to take prompt steps for preventing spread of covid -19.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has taken up the following proactive measures to mitigate its adverse effects on the tribal community:

1. State Governments were requested to constitute a team of officers in tribal welfare department to assess the situation arising out of spread of COVID-19 in consultation with the District administration and attend to essential requirements on priority.
2. Guidelines on home isolation of mild /asymptomatic COVID-19 cases and SOP on preventive measures to be followed in Entertainment Parks and similar places to contain spread of COVID-19 issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare were circulated among States / UTs for adherence.
3. All States/UTS were requested to regularly assess the situation arising out of spread of COVID-19 in the tribal inhabited areas and ensure testing, availability of essential medicines, vaccination facilities. It was advised that for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), there should be a dedicated officer who can coordinate with the community leaders for any specific need as these communities are particularly vulnerable.
4. News items appearing in newspapers, social media and other specific issues in tribal areas were shared with the concerned States for ensuring quick action.
5. NGOs and Centre of Excellence (CoEs) funded by MoTA were asked to provide support to District administration for provision of preventive, curative and other requirements among tribal communities to the best of their capacity.
6. States were requested to conduct/ intensify awareness campaign in the areas with significant tribal population to counter prevailing misconceptions among tribal communities regarding Covid testing and vaccination. It was requested to engage tribal community leaders in such awareness campaign for easy dissemination of correct and scientifically researched information about Covid-19 among the tribal communities.
7. The Union Minister of Tribal Affairs provided Rs 10 lakh from MP LAD fund to Bundu Anumandal Hospital in Tamar for establishing 10 oxygen supported beds through District Administration.
8. State Tribal Welfare Departments were requested to ensure that livelihood activities of tribals do not hamper due to Covid.
9. The Ministry revised minimum support prices of MFP with a purpose of providing enhanced income to tribal gatherers. Further, additional 37 MFP items have also been included in the list of MSP for MFP Scheme to expand the ambit and coverage of the scheme. Thus, the Scheme currently covers a total 87 items.
10. During 2020-21, on request of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued guidelines aiming to relax the provisions of lockdown for Collection, harvesting and processing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP)/ Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) by STs and other forest dwellers in forest areas across the country.
11. During 2020-21, Ministry of Tribal Affairs provided funds to the tune of Rs. 5476.01 crore for various development activities including education, health, and livelihood. Further, State Governments have been advised to include proposals for meeting health related urgent requirements in view of COVID-19 in the annual plan under Article 275(1) Grants for the year 2021-22 within their share of allocation for consideration by the Project Appraisal Committee in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
12. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation (TRIFED) was asked to coordinate with States to ascertain the problems being faced by tribals in disposal of MFPs, quantum of MFPs available with States, strategy for procurement along with plan for storage, value addition and sale of MFP.

Following efforts have been made by TRIFED during prevailing COVID situation to increase sale of tribal craft and products are given below:

1. During the financial year 2020-21, procurement of tribal craft and products for an amount of Rs. 1709 lakh was made and 2802 tribal artisans were empanelled.
2. In 2020-21, 24 virtual and three on ground Tribal Artisan Melas (TAMs) were organized by TRIFED across the country. For expansion of supplier base, suppliers’ conference was organized at New Delhi where about 250 tribal suppliers participated from across the country to finalise the supply orders for each Region.
3. During pandemic, TRIFED launched an e-market place www.tribesindia.com for tribal artisan/suppliers to sell their products.
4. During the financial year 2020-21 TRIFED organized Aadi Mahotsav from 1^st February to 15^th February, 2021 at Dilli Haat INA, New Delhi wherein 1000 tribal artisans/cooks from across the country participated.
5. Although the outlets were closed during lock down system of sale through home delivery and mobile vans adopted to enhance the sale of tribal products in the year 2020-21 and realized the sale for an amount of Rs 2963.09 lakh. In the current financial year 2021-22 sale is Rs.337.32 lakhs as on 31.7.2021.
6. TRIFED has been promoting E-Commerce sale from its own portal www.tribesindia.com and also present on all major e-commerce portals like Amazon, Snapdeal, Flipkart, Paytm, and Gem. With promotion through digital and social media, through this initiative, TRIFED has made sales of Rs. 131.76 lakh in 2020-21 and during the current financial year 2021-22, the sale of Rs. 34.98 lakh has been realized as on 31.7.2021.
7. Under Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram, Van Dhan, efforts were made to establish new Van Dhan Kendras and Van Dhan Self help groups.

Besides, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has issued an “SoP on COVID-19 Containment and Management in Peri-Urban, Rural and Tribal Areas”. The SOP provides for strengthening primary level healthcare infrastructure at all levels to intensify COVID-19 response in peri-urban, rural & tribal areas, while continuing to provide other essential healthcare services through inter-sectoral approach by involving community-based organizations, Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs), Panchayati Raj institutions, Urban Local bodies, etc. In addition, ECRP-II has also been approved by the Cabinet with Rs 23,123 crores (with Rs. 15,000 Cr as Central Component & Rs 8,123 Cr as State component) and is being implemented from 1^st July 2021. This includes support to State/UT level for ramping up health infrastructure including those in rural, tribal and peri-urban areas closer to the community, for providing support for procurement of drugs and diagnostics to enhance service delivery at district and sub district levels for management of COV lD-19 cases (including pediatric care) and for maintaining a buffer of drugs, etc.

This information is given by the Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Smt. Renuka Singh Saruta in Lok Sabha today.

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NB/SK