HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX OF TRIBAL PEOPLE
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX OF TRIBAL PEOPLE
Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Shri Durgadas Uikey informed Lok Sabha that United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) releases Human Development Index (HDI) every year at the national level. The Human Development Index measures development based on: Life expectancy at birth, (ii) Expected years of schooling /Mean years of schooling, (iii) Gross national income (GNI) per capita. The official link where the HDI is released by UNDP is Human Development Report 2025 | Human Development Reports
The Human Development Index for India increased from 0.590 in 2010, 0.633 in 2015, to 0.685 in 2023 as per Human Development Report 2025, UNDP. However, ST disaggregated data is not been published in the country.
Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE)
As per Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) – 2023-24 conducted by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Ministry of Statistics &Programme Implementation, average Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) during 2023-24 by Scheduled Tribes for rural & urban is Rs.3363 & Rs.6030 respectively. Average estimated MPCE in 2023-24 is observed to be Rs.4,122 in rural India and Rs.6,996 in urban India as per fact-sheet for Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) published by MoSPI.
All -India Average MPCEs(Rs)
2011-12
2022-23
2023-24
Average MPCEs (Rs)
without imputation
without imputation
without imputation
Rural
Urban
Rural
Urban
Rural
Urban
Scheduled Tribes
1122
2193
3016
5414
3363
6030
Source: Household Consumption Expenditure Survey, HCES 2011-12, 2022-23,2023-24
The All-India Average Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (MPCE) for Scheduled Tribes (STs) has shown rise over time in both rural and urban areas. In 2011–12, the average MPCE for Scheduled Tribes was ₹1122 in rural areas and ₹2193 in urban areas. This increased significantly by 2022–23, reaching ₹3016 in rural areas and ₹5414 in urban areas, indicating substantial growth in consumption expenditure. The upward trend continued in 2023–24, when the average MPCE for Scheduled Tribes further rose to ₹3363 in rural areas and ₹6030 in urban areas.
The action taken by the Government to reduce the disparities among the States in this regard and to ensure improvement in the living standards of Scheduled Tribes across the country is given below:
i) Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes: Government is implementing Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST) as a strategy for the development of Scheduled Tribes and areas having tribal concentration in the country. Besides Ministry of Tribal Affairs, 41 Ministries/Departments are allocating certain percentage of their total scheme budget every year for tribal development under DAPST to bridge the developmental gap between Scheduled Tribes (STs) and non-ST populations and for various tribal development projects relating to education, health, agriculture, irrigation, roads, housing, electrification, employment generation, skill development, etc. Schemes along-with funds allocated by the obligated Ministries/Departments for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes are given at Statement 10B of Expenditure Profile of Union Budget document in the following links:
Statement 10B for 2023-24: https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/budget2023-24/doc/eb/stat10b.pdf Statement 10B for 2024-25: https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/budget2024-25/doc/eb/stat10b.pdf
ii) State Tribal Sub Plan: State TSP Monitoring Portal (https://statetsp.tribal.gov.in) has been launched by the Ministry to monitor TSP in States and UTs on which the States and UTs are to upload the TSP allocation out of State budgetary grants, TSP expenditure and other essential information of TSP on a regular basis.
The objective of the Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), as stated in the aforementioned guidelines of Planning Commission is to bridge the gap between Scheduled Tribe (ST) population and others by accelerating the development of STs by securing to them: (i) Human resource development by enhancing their access to education and health services, (ii) Enhanced quality of life by providing basic amenities in tribal areas/localities including housing; (iii) Substantial reduction in poverty and unemployment, creation of productive assets and income generating opportunities (iv) Enhanced capacity to avail opportunities, gain rights and entitlements and improved facilities at par with other areas, and (v) Protection against exploitation and oppression.
(iii) DhartiAabaJanjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan: Hon’ble PM launched DhartiAabaJanjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan on 2nd October, 2024. The Abhiyan comprises of 25 interventions implemented by 17-line Ministries and aims to saturate infrastructural gaps in 63,843 villages, improve access to health, education, Anganwadi facilities and providing livelihood opportunities benefiting more than 5 crore tribals in 549 districts and 2,911 blocks in 30 States/UTs in 5 years. The Abhiyan has total budgetary outlay of Rs.79,156 Cr (Central share: ₹56,333 Cr and State share: ₹22,823 Cr).
(iv) Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN): Government has launched Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) on 15th November 2023, which is celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas. The mission with financial outlay of around Rs.24,000 Crore aims to saturate PVTG households 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, electrification of un-electrified households and sustainable livelihood opportunities in time bound manner in 3 years.
(v) Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM): The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM), which has been designed through the merger of two existing schemes for the 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”.
The Ministry is implementing the scheme ‘Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM)’ through Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) which envisions to strengthen tribal entrepreneurship initiatives and to facilitate livelihood opportunities by promoting more efficient, equitable, self-managed, optimum use of natural resources, agri / minor Forest Produce (MFPs) / non-farm produce. Under the scheme, financial support is provided to the State Governments for setting up of Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) which are the centres of value addition activities of MFPs/Non-MFPs.
(vi) Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS): Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) was started in the year 2018-19 to provide quality education at par with Navodaya Vidyalaya to the tribal children in their own environment. Under the new scheme, Government decided to establish 440 EMRSs, one EMRS in every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per census 2011). 288 EMRS schools were initially funded under Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution, which are being upgraded as per the new model. Accordingly, Ministry has set the target to set up total of 728 EMRSs benefiting around 3.5 lakh ST students across the country.
(vii) Pre-Matric Scholarships to ST students: The scheme is applicable to students who are studying in Classes IX –X. Parental income from all sources should not be more than Rs.2.50 lakhs per annum. Scholarship of Rs.225/-per month for day scholars and Rs.525/-per month for hostellers is given for a period of 10 months in a year. Scholarship is disbursed through the State Government/UT Administration. Funding ratio is 75:25 between Centre and States for all States except North East and Hills States/UT like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir where it is 90:10. For UTs without legislature sharing pattern is 100% Central share.
(viii) Post Matric Scholarship to ST students: The objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to the Scheduled Tribe students studying at post-matriculation or post-secondary levels to enable them to complete their education. Parental income from all sources should not be more than Rs.2.50 lakhs per annum. Compulsory fees charged by educational institutions are reimbursed subject to the limit fixed by the concerned State Fee fixation committee and scholarship amount of Rs.230 to Rs.1200 per month, depending upon the course of study is paid. The Scheme is implemented by the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. Funding ratio is 75:25 between Centre and States for all States except NE and Hilly States/UT of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir where it is 90:10. For UTs without legislature sharing pattern is 100% Central share.