Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA), on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, from Hazaribagh, Jharkhand today. The scheme has a total outlay of Rs.79,156 crores (Central Share: Rs.56,333 crore and State Share: Rs. 22,823 crore).  Hon’ble Governor, Jharkhand, Shri Santosh Gangwar; Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Shri Jual Oram; Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt Annpurna Devi; Union MoS for Tribal Affairs, Sh. Durgadas Uikey; Union MoS for Defence, Shri Sanjay Seth; and senior officers from Central and State Government graced the occasion. (Press Release: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2061094)

The Abhiyan will cover around 63,843 villages benefitting more than 5 crore tribal people in 549 districts and 2,911 blocks spread across all tribal majority villages and aspirational blocks in 30 States/UTs.  Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan envisions saturation of critical gaps in social infrastructure, health, education, livelihood, through 25 interventions implemented by 17-line ministries of Govt of India by convergence and outreach; and ensures holistic and sustainable development of tribal areas and communities. 

The scheme received Cabinet approval on 18^th September 2024. (Press Release: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2055995). It has been planned based on the learning and success of PM-JANMAN, which was launched by the Prime Minister on Janjatiya Gaurav Divas on 15^th November, 2023. With a budget outlay of Rs. 24,104 crores, the scheme focuses on the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) population. In the last 10 months, remarkable strides have been made in almost all interventions with sanction of projects worth Rs 10,000 crores. Recently, on 17th September, 2024 the Prime Minister handed over keys for Gruha Pravesh of 40,000 completed houses constructed under PM-JANMAN and released 1st instalment to 50,000 beneficiaries during an event in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.  (Press Release on Cabinet Approval of the scheme

The Prime Minister also inaugurated 40 Eklavya schools and laid the foundation stone of 25 new EMRSs amounting to around Rs 2,834 cr. He also inaugurated and laid foundation stone of projects worth Rs 1,365 cr under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), including 1387 km roads, 120 Anganwadis, 250 Multi Purpose Centres and 10 school hostels, which are being constructed under PM-JANMAN by the concerned Ministries of Rural Development, Women and Child Development, Department of School Education and Literacy, and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

With the inauguration of 40 new EMRS, a total of 74 new EMRSs have been completed under the new scheme, which was launched under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister in 2018, when the Government of India decided to set up 440 Eklavya Schools. Under the scheme, each block with 50% or more ST population and 20,000 or more tribal persons will have an EMRS, to be at par with Navodaya Vidyalayas.  With 288 schools already sanctioned (before 2018), a total of 728 schools will be set up. The construction cost of EMRS has been enhanced to Rs. 38 cr and Rs. 48 cr in plain and hilly areas respectively.   By March 2026, Govt has set the target of making all 728 schools functional, wherein about 3.5 lakh tribal students will have quality education. An amount of Rs. 28919.72 crores has been allocated under the scheme (for 2021-26).  More than 38,000 teaching and non-teaching staff will be recruited in a phased manner, of which 9000 teaching and non-teaching staff have been recruited already. In the last 10 years, there has been a manifold increase in such schools as can be seen below.

In the last 5 years, construction has been completed in 170 schools (2019-20 to September 2024) and construction in over 240 schools is under progress as on date. In 328 schools, smart classes are being set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information. Technology. EMRS MIS Portal has been created to maintain a database of students, schools, teachers and for reviewing construction and financial progress.

(Video Link for the Event: https://www.youtube.com/live/ZNl8CdHPthk?feature=shared)

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VM