Lok Sabha Question No. 401 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-24
Subject: Poverty and Indebtedness among Tribal Communities
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Sanjay Jaiswal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 401 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.06.2019

## POVERTY AND INDEBTEDNESS AMONG TRIBAL COMMUNITIES

## 401.  DR. SANJAY JAISWAL:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Government is aware of the relatively higher levels of poverty and indebtedness among tribal communities in the country;
- (b)    if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken by the Government to address the issues; and
- (c)   if not, the reasons therefor?

## THE MINISTER OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI ARJUN MUNDA)

(a)to (b) Yes, Sir. As per the information provided by NITI Aayog, the percentage of Scheduled Tribes (STs) living below  the  poverty  line, in both rural and  urban  areas, is higher than  all  communities  taken together.Details are given below:

|                | Rural   | Rural   | Rural   | Urban   | Urban   | Urban   |
|----------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
| Year/community | 2004-05 | 2009-10 | 2011-12 | 2004-05 | 2009-10 | 2011-12 |
| STs(%)         | 62.28   | 47.37   | 45.30   | 35.52   | 30.38   | 24.10   |
| All(%)         | 41.79   | 33.80   | 25.40   | 25.68   | 20.09   | 13.70   |

Tribal  Sub  Plan  (TSP)  (now  called  Scheduled  Tribe  Component)  Strategy  has  been  adopted  by  the Government  for  accelerated  development  of  tribal  people.  It  envisages  channelizing  the  flow  of  outlays  & benefits  from  all  sectors  of  development  to  ST  population.NITI  Aayog  has  approved  new  Guidelines  by obligating 41 Central Ministries / Departments in place of earlier 32 for allocation of funds for the welfare STs. Similarly, number of programmes also increased.

NITI Aayog has also launched another important initiative 'Transformation of Aspirational Districts' in January, 2018 with aims to strengthen these districts for immediate improvement and progress in critical areas of development viz. health, nutrition, education, agriculture & water resources, basic infrastructure and financial inclusion  &  skill  development.  NITI  Aayog  has  identified  about  112  districts  from  27  states  and  among  the districts there are 27 districts with more than 50% Scheduled Tribes population and 13 districts with 2 or more Blocks having 50% or more ST population.

The  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  administers  two  major  programmes,  namely,  Grants  under  Article 275(1) of the Constitution and Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS), wherein funds are  released  to  the  State  Governments  inter-alia  for  reduction  of    poverty  and  unemployment,  creation  of productive  assets  and  income  generating  opportunities.  Also,  the  National  Scheduled  Tribes  Finance  and Development Corporation (NSTFDC)  under  the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, promotes entrepreneurial development  amongst  Scheduled  Tribes.  This  Corporation  provides  concessional  financial  assistance  to individuals  or  groups  of  STs  for  undertaking  self-employment  income  generation  activities  through  its channelizing agencies. The programmes and schemes of the Ministry support and supplement, through financial assistance, the efforts of other Central Ministries, the State Governments, and voluntary organizations, and fill critical gaps taking into account the needs of STs.

The  Government  has  also  taken  various  initiatives  to  ensure  social  inclusion   such  as  scholarship schemes, reservation in education and employment, representation in Lok Sabha, State legislatures and Rural and  Urban  Local  Bodies,  subsidized  credit  facilities,   entrepreneurship  development   and  other  infrastructure developmental  programmes  etc.  by  increasing  allocations  under  various  programmes  and  also  bringing  new programmes like  schemes of start-up India and stand-up India, PM MUDRA, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana etc.

(c) Does not arise.

## ANSWER

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