Lok Sabha Question No. 175 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-11-29
Subject: Covid-19 Impact on Tribal Communities
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Faizal P.P. Mohammed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 175

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 29.11.2021

## COVID-19 IMPACT ON TRIBAL COMMUNITIES

## 175    S HRI MOHAMMED FAIZAL P.P.

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)         whether the Government has made an assessment of the impact of COVID-19 and the lockdown on tribal communities;
- (b)          if so, the details thereof including the tribal population and districts affected by COVID-19;
- (c)          if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d)          the details of the measures that have been undertaken by the Government to address the problems faced by tribal communities during COVID-19?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SMT. RENUKA SINGH SARUTA)

- (a)      Covid 19 has been treated by Government as a national calamity and accordingly different measures  including  vaccination  are  ensured  for  all.   Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  (MoTA),  has coordinated with the officers in State Tribal Welfare Department, to assess the preventive and curative needs to curb the spread of COVID-19 among tribal communities and extend helping hand in meeting the urgent requirement in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Instructions were issued by Ministry of Tribal Affairs to all States/UTs to take prompt steps for preventing spread of covid -19.
- (b)  &  (c)           Social  category-wise  and  district-wise  information  on  population  affected  by COVID-19 is not maintained centrally by the Ministry.
- (d)       The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has taken up the following proactive measures to mitigate its adverse effects on the tribal community:
- i. State  Governments  were  requested  to  constitute  a  team  of  officers  in  tribal  welfare department to assess the situation arising out of spread of COVID-19 in consultation with the District administration and attend to essential requirements on priority.
- ii. Guidelines  on  home  isolation  of  mild  /asymptomatic  COVID-19  cases  and  SOP  on preventive measures to be followed in Entertainment Parks and similar places to contain spread of COVID-19 issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare were circulated among States / UTs for adherence.
- iii. All  States/UTS were requested to regularly assess the situation arising out of spread of COVID-19  in  the  tribal  inhabited  areas  and  ensure  testing,  availability  of  essential medicines,  vaccination  facilities.  It  was  advised  that  for  Particularly  Vulnerable  Tribal Groups  (PVTGs),  there  should  be  a  dedicated  officer  who  can  coordinate  with  the community leaders for any specific need as these communities are particularly vulnerable.
- iv. News items appearing in newspapers, social media and other specific issues in tribal areas were shared with the concerned States for ensuring quick action.
- v. NGOs and Centre of Excellence (CoEs) funded by MoTA were asked to provide support to  District  administration  for  provision  of  preventive,  curative  and  other  requirements among tribal communities to the best of their capacity.
- vi. States  were  requested  to  conduct  /  intensify  awareness  campaign  in  the  areas  with significant tribal population to counter prevailing misconceptions among tribal communities regarding Covid testing and vaccination. It was requested to engage tribal community  leaders  in  such  awareness  campaign  for  easy  dissemination  of  correct  and scientifically researched information about Covid-19 among the tribal communities.
- vii. The Union Minister of Tribal Affairs provided Rs 10 lakh from MP LAD fund to Bundu Anumandal Hospital in Tamar for establishing 10 oxygen supported beds through District Administration.
- viii. State Tribal Welfare Departments were requested to ensure that livelihood activities of tribals do not hamper due to Covid.
- ix. The  Ministry  revised  minimum  support  prices  of  MFP  with  a  purpose  of  providing enhanced income to tribal gatherers.  Further,  additional  37  MFP  items  have  also  been included in the list  of MSP for MFP Scheme to expand the ambit and coverage of the scheme  vide  notification  dated  26.5.2020  and  11.11.2020.  Thus,  the  Scheme  currently covers a total 87 items.
- x. During 2020-21, on request of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs vide Order No. 40-3/2020-DM-I(A) dated 16/04/20 issued guidelines aiming to relax the provisions  of  lockdown  for  Collection,  harvesting  and  processing  of  Minor  Forest Produce(MFP)/ Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) by STs and other forest dwellers in forest areas across the country.
- xi. During 2020-21, Ministry of Tribal Affairs provided funds to the tune of Rs. 5476.01 crore for various development activities including education, health, livelihood.  Further, State Governments have been advised to include proposals for meeting health related urgent requirements in view of COVID-19 in the annual plan under Article 275(1) Grants for the year 2021-22 within their share of allocation for consideration by the Project Appraisal Committee in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
- xii. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation (TRIFED) was asked to coordinate with States to ascertain the problems being faced by tribals in disposal of MFPs, quantum of MFPs available with States, strategy for procurement along with plan for storage, value addition and sale of MFP.

Following efforts have been made by TRIFED during prevailing COVID situation to increase sale of tribal craft and products are given below:

- (i)       During the financial year 2020-21, procurement of tribal craft and products for an amount of Rs. 1709 lakh was made and 2802 tribal artisans were empanelled.
- (ii)       In 2020-21, 24 virtual and three on ground Tribal Artisan Melas (TAMs) were organized by  TRIFED  across  the  country.  For  expansion  of  supplier  base,  suppliers'  conference  was organized at New Delhi where about 250 tribal suppliers participated from across the country to finalise the supply orders for each Region.
- (iii)        During  pandemic,  TRIFED launched an e-market place www.tribesindia.com for tribal artisan/suppliers to sell their products.
- (iv)       During the financial year 2020-21 TRIFED organized Aadi Mahotsav from 1st February to  15thFebruary,  2021  at  Dilli  Haat  INA,  New  Delhi  wherein  1000  tribal  artisans/cooks  from across the country participated.
- (v)      Although the outlets were closed during lock down system of sale through home delivery and mobile vans adopted to enhance the sale of tribal products in the year 2020-21 and realized the sale for an amount of Rs.2963.09 lakh.  In the current financial year 2021-22 sale is Rs.337.32 lakhs as on 31.7.2021.
- (vi) TRIFED has been promoting E-Commerce sale from its own portal www.tribesindia.com and  also  present  on  all  major  e-commerce  portals  like  Amazon, Snapdeal, Flipkart, Paytm, and Gem. With promotion through digital and social media, through this  initiative,  TRIFED  has  made  sales  of  Rs.  131.76  lakh  in  2020-21  and  during  the  current financial year 2021-22, the sale of Rs. 34.98 lakh has been realized as on 31.7.2021.
- (vii)     Under Vandhan Vikas Karyakram, Vandhan, efforts were made to establish new Vandhan Kendras and VAndhan Self help groups.

Besides, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) undertook various interventions for better healthcare in areas with significant tribal population as indicated below:

- i. States/UTs are being provided required technical and financial assistance for strengthening of  their  healthcare  system,  including  management  of  the  COVID-19  public  health challenge, from time to time.
- ii. All  States/UTs  are  provided  with  necessary  financial  support  under  India  COVID-19 Emergency  Response  and  Health  System  Preparedness  Package.  Under  the  India COVID19  Emergency  Response  and  Health  Systems  Preparedness  Package  (COVID Package), States/UTs have been provided financial support, besides the supply of essential materials  such  as  PPEs,  N95  masks,  ventilators,  etc  from  MoHFW.  Details  of  funds allocation may be sought from NHM-Finance.
- iii. A Scheme on 'India Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package - Phase-II' (ECRP-Phase-II) during 2021-22 has been approved by the Cabinet on 8.07.2021 for an amount of Rs.23,123 crores, to be implemented in 9 months from 1st July, 2021 to 31st March, 2022. The Scheme is aimed to prevent, detect and respond to the continuing  threat  posed  by  COVID-19  and  strengthen  national  health  systems  for preparedness  in  India.  The scheme is  a Centrally  Sponsored Scheme (CSS) with some Central Sector (CS) components.
- iv. Support is provided to the States for provision for establishing District Paediatric Units (42 or 32 bedded units including Oxygen Supported beds and ICU beds) in all the Districts of the Country including the Districts with predominantly tribal population.
- v. Support is extended to create pre-fabricated structures for establishing 6 bedded units at Sub Health Centres and Primary Health Centres and 20 bedded units at Community Health Centres for meeting the requirement of hospital beds in rural, peri-urban and tribal areas.
- vi. To fast-track the availability of Medical Oxygen in rural and peri-urban areas, Ministry of Health  and  Family  Welfare  envisages  to  provide  1  lakhs  Oxygen  Concentrators  to  the Community  Health  Centres  (CHCs),  Primary  Health  Centres  (PHCs)  and  Sub-Health Centres  (SHCs)  including  Health  and  Wellness  Centres  (HWCs)  in  the  country  under PMCARES Fund, so as to bring medical management closer to people and ensure the availability of critical resource of Oxygen closer to the public. States/UTs are requested to give preference to the rural, peri-urban and tribal areas. Accordingly, so far, more than 18,000  Oxygen  Concentrators  have  been  allocated  to  various  States.  MoHFW  is coordinating with the MoPetroleum and Natural Gas / Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for the effective implementation of this intervention.
- vii. Vaccination drive has been intensified across the country to safeguard the citizen from the fatality of COVID including tribal people.
- viii. An amount of Rs. 3832 crore was release to States during 2020-21 as Scheduled Tribe Component (STC). Further, an amount of Rs. 4260.20 crore has been earmarked as STC during 2021-22.

Further,  funds  to  the  tune  of  Rs.  30521.89  crore  has  been  spent  by  other  Central  Ministries (excluding MoTA and MoHFW) for various development activities for tribal people that includes Rs. 10027.77 crore under livelihood related activities.

The ongoing intervention under PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMJKAY) has been extended for a further period of five months till March 2022 wherein, provision is there to provide an additional allocation  of  5kg  of  food  grains  (wheat  /  rice),  free  of  cost  to  around  80  crore  National  Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries including tribal people.

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