Lok Sabha Question No. 3130 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-06
Subject: Skill Development to Scheduled Tribes
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## (MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3130

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2018

## SKILL DEVELOPMENT TO SCHEDULED TRIBES

## 3130. ADV. JOICE GEORGE:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has noticed that skill development of tribal hamlets/villages are very slow due to objections from forest officials and NGOs;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has any inter-ministerial mechanism to speed up the implementation of tribal development schemes and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether primary infrastructures like  roads, power lines, community  health centres, drinking water projects are badly affected due to stop memos by forest officials;
- (e) if so, the details thereof;
- (f) whether the Government has any plan to settle such disputes as early as possible by establishing any minister level committees/bodies; and
- (g) if so the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI JASWANTSINH BHABHOR)

- (a) to (b) No, Madam. No such incidents have been brought to the notice of the Government.
- (c) Allocation of Business Rules (ABR) was amended in January, 2017 whereby Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has been given mandate for monitoring of Scheduled Tribe Component funds of Central Ministries based on the framework and mechanism designed by NITI Aayog. An online monitoring system has been put in place with web address http://stcmis.gov.in. The framework envisages monitoring of allocations for welfare of  STs  under  the  schemes,  monitoring  of  expenditure  vis-a-  vis  allocations,  monitoring  of  physical performance and outcome monitoring. Further, nodal officers have been nominated in the line Ministries / Departments for coordination and monitoring. Ministry / Department-wise performance is reviewed on a half yearly basis jointly by MoTA and NITI Aayog.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been constantly addressing the State Governments for compliance with the provisions of TSP Guidelines issued by erstwhile Planning Commission dated 18.06.2014 including (i) High Level Committee to monitor TSS, (ii) Check on deviation from Guidelines in regard to TSS allocation and expenditure; and (iii) of conduct of social audit through Gram Sabha etc. In turn, all the States except Kerala and Manipur have constituted Executive Committee under Chief Secretary for formulation, implementation and monitoring of TSS funds.

Mechanism of Project Appraisal Committee has been introduced by MoTA in 2014 for appraisal and approval of projects of State Governments under Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS) and Article 275(1) Grants.  The Committee is headed by Secretary (Tribal Affairs) with representatives of State Governments, Financial Advisor, Planning Commission, etc. This has helped in ensuring consultation with the States, convergence of various schemes of the Ministry, transparency in the process of appraisal and fund releases and ensuring optimal utilization of limited financial resources. While appraising the proposals of State Governments under the Schemes under SCA to TSS, review of TSP allocation and expenditure made by the State Government is also done.

- (d) to (e) No, Madam. No such incidents have been brought to the notice of the Government.
- (f) to (g) Does not arise in view of reply to (d) to (e) above.