Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing ‘Pradhan Mantri Vanbandhu KalyanYojana (PMVKY)’ which includes many schemes for development and welfare of tribal communities. The scheme has been approved for implementation during 2021-22 to 2025-26 with a total cost of Rs. 26135.46 crores. The PMVKY is aimed at holistic development of tribal communities and tribal areas across the country focussing on integrated development of villages and capacity building through interventions in education and livelihood in convergence with State and Central TSP funds. Scheme components covered under the PMVKY are as follows:

1. Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna (PMAAGY)
2. Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)
3. Support to Tribal Research Institutes
4. Pre-Matric Scholarship
5. Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme

Details of above-mentioned schemes are as under:

1. Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Youjana (PMAAGY): The scheme of ‘Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub- Plan (SCA to TSP)’ was being implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs since 1977-78. After amalgamation of Plan and Non-Plan, the scheme was known as ‘Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS)’ since 2017. Under SCA to TSS, funds were provided to the State Governments for various projects in sectors like education, health, agriculture, skill development, employment-cum-income generation, etc. To further and improve basic services and facilities in villages with significant tribal population, it has been decided to revamp SCA to TSS into ‘Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY)’ for integrated development of villages in an outcome-oriented and time- bound manner during the years 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Under the Scheme, 36,428 villages having at least 50% tribal population and 500 STs across States / UTs with notified STs have been identified for undertaking development programmes / activities through convergence approach to bridge gaps prominently in 8 sectors of development viz. Road connectivity (Internal and Inter village /block), Telecom connectivity (Mobile /internet), School, Anganwadi Centres, Health Sub-Centre, Drinking water facility, Drainage and solid waste management. During 2021-22 and 2022-23, a total of about 16554 villages have been taken up. So far, an amount of Rs. 2133.39 Crore has already been released to the States under the scheme.

2. Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribes (PVTGs): The Scheme of Development of PVTGs aims at planning for their socio-economic development in a comprehensive manner while retaining the culture and heritage of the communities by adopting habitat level development approach. Under this scheme, financial assistance is provided to the State/UT Governments based on their proposals for development of tribal people in the important sectors of development such as education, housing, livelihood health etc. Under the schemes Development of PVTGs funds are provided to the State governments / UTs to carry out various development activities based on their proposal.

Government in Budget 2023-24 has made announcement of Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development (PM-PVTG) Mission. The mission is aimed to improve socio- economic conditions of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) by saturating PVTG families and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

(iii) Support to Tribal Research Institute (TRI): Under the schemes Support to TRIs funds are provided to the State governments / UTs research, documentation etc. based on their proposal.

(iv) Pre-Matric Scholarship: It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented through respective State/UT administrations. This is an open-ended Scheme covering all ST students studying in Std. IXth&Xth, whose parental annual income is up to Rs. 2.50 lakhs. The contribution from Government of India is 75% and the state contribution is 25%. In respect of North East states and hilly states, the contribution from Government of India is 90% and the state contribution is 10%. In case of UTs like Andaman & Nicobar without Legislative Assembly and own grants, Govt. of India’s contribution is 100%.

5. Post Matric Scholarship: It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented through respective Ste/UT administrations. This is an open-ended Scheme covering all ST students studying in in class XI and above, whose parental annual income is up to Rs. 2.50 lakhs. The contribution from Government of India is 75% and the state contribution is 25%. In respect of North East states and hilly states, the contribution from Government of India is 90% and the state contribution is 10%. In case of UTs like Andaman & Nicobar without Legislative Assembly and own grants, Govt. of India’s contribution is 100%.

Further, Ministry is implementing a scheme Eklavya Model Residential School and also provides Grants to the States under Grants under Proviso to Article 275(1) of the Constitution as detailed below:

(i)Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS): It is a central sector scheme introduced in the year 1997-98 to provide quality education to Scheduled Tribes (ST) students (Class 6th to 12th) in remote areas to enable them to access the best opportunities in education and to bring them at par with the general population. Realizing the importance of the EMRS, in the Union Budget of 2018-19, Government announced that every block with 50% or more ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, is to have an EMRS. Accordingly, the target of establishing 740 EMRSs across the country has been set up. As on date, 690 schools have been sanctioned by the Ministry, out of which 401 are reported to be functional.

(ii) Grants under Proviso to Article 275(1) of the Constitution: Ministry of Tribal Affairs also provides funds to the State Governments under Grants under Proviso to Article 275(1) of the Constitution. It is a 100% grant from Government of India. Funding under this programme is to enable the State to meet the cost of such schemes of development as may be undertaken by the State for the purpose of promoting the welfare of Scheduled Tribes in that State for raising the level of administration of Scheduled Areas therein to that of the administration of the rest of the areas of that State. Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy for overall development of tribal people across the country, which includes various sectors viz. (i) Education (ii) Health (iii) Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry (AH), Fisheries, Dairy & others in Primary Sector (iv) Other income generating schemes to augment Tribal household economy and (v) Administrative structure / Institutional framework & Research studies.

(iii) ‘Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM)’: The scheme ‘Pradhan Mantri JanjatiyaVikas Mission (PMJVM)’ has been approved with a total financial outlay of Rs. 1612.27 crore for implementation during the financial years 2021-22 to 2025-26. PMJVM has been redesigned through the merger and extension of two existing schemes for promotion of tribal livelihood, i.e., “Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Development of Value Chain for MFP” and “Institutional Support for Development and Marketing of Tribal Products / Produce”. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) is the nodal agency for implementation of the Scheme. PMJVM envisions to strengthen tribal entrepreneurship initiatives and to facilitate livelihood opportunities by promoting more efficient, equitable, self-managed, optimum use of natural resources, Agri / NTFP / Non-farm enterprises.

Apart from above, Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST) continues to be the dedicated source of fund for tribal development. During the year the budgetary support to DAPST has been increased from Rs. 87584.66 crore to Rs. 117943.73 crore i.e. about 35%. The DAPST is a multi-pronged strategy which includes support for education, health, sanitation, water supply, livelihood etc. Besides Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), 41 Ministries / Departments are allocating certain percentage of their total scheme budget every year for tribal development under DAPST for various tribal development projects.

The reply was given by Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Smt Renuka Singh Saruta in Rajya Sabha today.

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