SCHEMES FOR TRIBAL AREAS
SCHEMES FOR TRIBAL AREAS
The Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Shri Durgadas Uikey today answering an un-starred question of Shri. Samirul Islam informed Rajya Sabha that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing various schemes/programmes for the welfare and development of the Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the country. The details of these schemes and funds allotted to the State of West Bengal in each of the last three financial yearsis given at Annexure I.
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.
At present, pensions are being provided to eligible elderly persons, including members of the Scheduled Tribes, under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) being implemented by the Department of Rural Development. Under the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) component of NSAP, assistance is given to persons belonging to households below the poverty line, who are 60 years of age and above.
Annexure I
Brief details of major schemes/programmes being implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in the country:
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).
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.
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 scheme envisages fixation and declaration of Minimum Support Price for the selected MFP. Procurement and Marketing operation at pre-fixed MSP will be undertaken by the designated State Agencies in the event of the prevailing market price of the particular MFP item falling below the stipulated MSP. Simultaneously other medium and long-term issues like sustainable collection, value addition, infrastructure development, knowledge base expansion of MFP and market intelligence development will also be addressed.
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.
Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution: Under the Proviso to Article 275(1) of Constitution, Grants are released to States, having ST population for raising the level of administration in Scheduled Areas and for the welfare of tribal people. This is a Special Area Programme and 100% grants are provided to States. Funds are released to the State Governments depending on the felt needs of ST population to bridge the gap in infrastructure activities in the fields of education, health, skill development, livelihood, drinking water, sanitation, etc.
Grant-in Aid to Voluntary Organizations working for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes: Under the scheme of Grant-in-Aid to Voluntary Organizations working for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes, the Ministry funds projects in the fields of education and health, covering residential schools, non-residential schools, hostels, mobile dispensaries, ten or more bedded hospitals, livelihood, etc.
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.
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.
National Overseas Scholarships for ST Candidates: The Scheme provides for financial assistance to selected students to pursue Post Graduation, PhD & Post-Doctoral study abroad. A total of 20 awards are given every year. Of these, 17 awards are for STs and 3 awards for students belonging to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). Parental/family income from all sources should not exceed Rs.6.00 lakhs per annum.
National Fellowship &Scholarship for Higher Education of ST students:
National Scholarship– (Top class) Scheme [Graduate level]: The objective of the scheme is to encourage meritorious ST students for pursuing studies in prescribed courses in any of the 265 institutions of excellence across the country like IITs, AIIMS, IIMs, NIITs, etc. identified by the Ministry. Family income from all sources should not exceed Rs.6.00 lakhs per annum. Scholarship amount includes tuition fees, living expenses and allowances for books and computer.
National Fellowship for ST students: 750 fellowships are provided to ST students each year for pursing higher studies in India for MPhil and PhD. Fellowship is granted as per UGC norms.
Support to Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs): Ministry extends support to the State Governments through the Scheme to set up new TRIs where it didn’t exist and to strengthen functioning of existing TRIs to carry out its core responsibility towards Research & Documentations, Training and capacity building, promotion of rich tribal heritage etc. To preserve tribal art and culture, financial assistance is provided to TRI’s to carry out various activities to preserve and promote tribal culture and heritage across the country through research and documentation, maintenance and preservation of art & artefacts, setting up of tribal museum, exchange visits for the tribals to other parts of the State, organizing tribal festivals etc. Funding under this Scheme is 100% grant-in-aid by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to the TRIs on need basis with the approval of Apex Committee.
Fund allocations made during last three financial years by the Ministry in West Bengal under the schemes/programmes is as follows:
Details of funds released under Pre-Matric scholarship Scheme for ST students
(Rs. In Crore)
Sl.No.
Name of the State/UT
F.Y. 2022-23
F.Y. 2023-24
F.Y. 2024-25*
1
West Bengal
29.89
*Provisional
Details of funds released under Post-Matric scholarship Scheme for ST students
(Rs. In Crore)
Sl.No.
Name of the State/UT
F.Y. 2022-23
F.Y. 2023-24
F.Y. 2024-25*
1
West Bengal
34.06
35.00
*Provisional
Details of funds released during last five years under the scheme “Development of PVTGs”
are as under:
(in Rs. lakhs)
S. No
State
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25*
1
West Bengal
665.95
0
1631.05
*Provisional
Amount of loan disbursed by NSTFDC in the last five years
Rs. in lakhs
Sl. No.
State
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25*
Amount disbursed
Amount disbursed
Amount disbursed
1
West Bengal
1643.33
1526.59
2233.75
Details of funds released under PMAAGY during last 3 years
(Rs. in lakh)
S No
States
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25*
Fund Release
Fund Release
Fund Release
1
West Bengal
3495.20
0.00
0.00
*Provisional
Details of funds released under Article 275(1) of Constitution (as on 05.06.2025)
(Rs.in Lakh)
S.No.
States
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25*
Total Release
Total Release
Total Release
1
West Bengal
4186.5
4744.4
3549.61
*Provisional
DETAILS OF FUND RELEASED DURING THE YEAR 2022-23 TO 2024-25 UNDER THE SCHEME OF GRANTS IN AID TO VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS WORKING FOR THE WELFARE OF SCHEDULED TRIBES’
(Rs.in Lakh)
State
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25*
WEST BENGAL
476.1
1167.79
1390.18
*Provisional
Details of funds released under EMRS during last three years
(Rs. In Lakh)
S. No.
Name of the State/UT
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25*
1
West Bengal
2,303.67
1,869.70
1,789.50
*Provisional