Lok Sabha Question No. 3648 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-20
Subject: Aboriginal Tribes
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Mansukhbhai Dhanjibhai Vasava, Chhatar Singh Darbar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - † 3648

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 20/12/2021

## ABORIGINAL TRIBES

## †3648. SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA:

## SHRI CHHATAR SINGH DARBAR:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the total number of tribes across the country;

(b)  the  State-wise  total  population  number  of  aboriginal  tribes  especially  in  Gujarat  and Madhya Pradesh; and

(c) the details of ongoing or proposed schemes by the Government for the development of aboriginal tribes in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  &  (b):  There  are  over  700  Scheduled  Tribes  (STs)  notified  under  Article  342  of  the Constitution  of  India,  spread  over  different  States  and  Union  Territories  (UTs)  of  the Country. The State/UT wise population of Scheduled Tribes in India including Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh is given at Annexure I.

(c):  Government  is  implementing  Tribal  Sub-Plan  (TSP)/Schedule  Tribe  Component (STC)/Development  Action  Plan  for  STs  (DAPSTs)  for  overall  development  of  tribal people across the country. As per the latest guidelines, besides Ministry of Tribal Affairs, 40 Central Ministries / Departments have been mandated by NITI Aayog to earmark TSP funds in the range of 4.3 to 17.5 percent of their total Scheme allocation every year for tribal  development.  TSP  funds  are  spent  by  obligated  Central  Ministries  /  Departments under  their  schemes  for  various  development  projects  relating  to  education,  health, agriculture, irrigation, roads, housing, drinking water, electrification, employment generation, skill development, etc. for accelerated socio-economic  development  of Scheduled Tribes in the country. Further, State Governments are also supposed to earmark Tribal  Sub  Plan  (TSP)  funds  in  proportion  to  ST  population  (Census  2011)  in  the  State with respect to total State Plan.

The details of the schemes presently being implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for the development of the Scheduled Tribes in the country are given at Annexure II.

## State / UT wise ST population in India

| S. No   | India / State              | ST Population   |
|---------|----------------------------|-----------------|
|         | India                      | 10,45,45,716    |
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh             | 26,31,145       |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh          | 9,51,821        |
| 3       | Assam                      | 38,84,371       |
| 4       | Bihar                      | 13,36,573       |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh               | 78,22,902       |
| 6       | Goa                        | 1,49,275        |
| 7       | Gujarat                    | 89,17,174       |
| 8       | Haryana                    | NST             |
| 9       | Himachal Pradesh           | 3,92,126        |
| 10      | Jammu &Kashmir (UT)        | 12,75,106       |
| 11      | Jharkhand                  | 86,45,042       |
| 12      | Karnataka                  | 42,48,987       |
| 13      | Kerala                     | 4,84,839        |
| 14      | Ladakh (UT)                | 2,18,193        |
| 15      | Madhya Pradesh             | 1,53,16,784     |
| 16      | Maharashtra                | 1,05,10,213     |
| 17      | Manipur                    | 11,67,422       |
| 18      | Meghalaya                  | 25,55,861       |
| 19      | Mizoram                    | 10,36,115       |
| 20      | Nagaland                   | 17,10,973       |
| 21      | Odisha                     | 95,90,756       |
| 22      | Punjab                     | NST             |
| 23      | Rajasthan                  | 92,38,534       |
| 24      | Sikkim                     | 2,06,360        |
| 25      | Tamil Nadu                 | 7,94,697        |
| 26      | Telangana                  | 3286928         |
| 27      | Tripura                    | 11,66,813       |
| 28      | Uttarakhand                | 2,91,903        |
| 29      | Uttar Pradesh              | 11,34,273       |
| 30      | West Bengal                | 52,96,953       |
| 31      | A &NIslands                | 28,530          |
| 32      | Chandigarh                 | NST             |
| 33      | D &NHaveli and Daman& Diu. | 1,93,927        |
| 34      | Delhi                      | NST             |
| 35      | Lakshadweep                | 61,120          |
| 36      | Puducherry                 | NST             |

Source: Census 2011, Office of the Registrar General, India

NST: No notified Scheduled Tribes (as in 2011), NA: Not Applicable

## Statement referred to in reply to part (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3648 for 20.12.2021 by SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA, SHRI CHHATAR SINGH DARBAR regarding 'Aboriginal Tribes'

## Brief details of Schemes/Programmes being implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in the country:

(i)  Grants  under Article 275(1) of the Constitution :  Under the programme of Proviso to Article  275(1)  of  Constitution,  Grants  are  released  to  26  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   States 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.

(ii) Eklavya Model  Residential Schools  (EMRS): The scheme of Eklavya  Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) was introduced in the year 1997-98 to impart quality education exclusively  to  ST  children  with  an  objective  to  provide  quality  middle  and  high-level education to Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in remote areas in order to enable them to avail of reservation in high and professional educational courses and get jobs in government and public  and  private  sectors.  In  the  Union  Budget  of  2018-19,  Government  announced  that 'The Government is committed to provide the best quality education to the tribal children in their own environment. To realize this mission, it has been decided that by the year 2022, every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, will have an  Eklavya  Model  Residential  School.  Eklavya  schools  will  be  on  par  with  Navodaya Vidyalayas  and  will  have  special  facilities  for  preserving  local  art  and  culture  besides providing training in sports and skill development."

It  was  a  component  of  Grants  under  Article  275(1)  of  the  Constitution.  In  terms  of  the aforesaid Budget announcement, a scheme was formulated and the same was appraised and approved by EFC. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), in its meeting held on 17.12.18, inter-alia approved the revamping of the EMRS Scheme.

(iii)  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, etc.

(iv) 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  like  Himachal  Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir where it is 90:10. For UT's without legislature sharing pattern is 100% Central Share.

(v)  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/UTs of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir where it is 90:10. For UT's without legislature sharing pattern is 100% Central Share.

(vi)  National  Overseas  Scholarships  for  ST  Candidates  for  Studying  Abroad: 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.

## (vii) National Fellowship &Scholarship for Higher Education of ST students:

- (a)  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 246 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.
- (b) 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. (Presently, @Rs.25,000/- for JRF and @Rs.28,000/- for SRF).
- (viii)  Special    Central    Assistance    to    Tribal    Sub-Scheme    (SCA    to    TSS): Under scheme of Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS) 100% grants is provided to the State Governments for activities related to education, health, sanitation, water supply, livelihood, skill development, Ashram Schools, Boys and Girls Hostels, Vocational Training  Centres  (VTCs),  minor  infrastructure,  etc.  to  bridge  the  gap  between  Scheduled Tribe (ST) population and others as a critical gap filling measure.

(ix)Development  of  Particularly  Vulnerable  Tribal  Groups  (PVTGs): The  scheme  of Development of PVTGs covers 75 identified PVTGs among Scheduled Tribes in 18 States and UT of Andaman & Nicobar Islands  for  the  activities  like  education,  housing,  land distribution, land development, agricultural development, animal husbandry, construction   of   link   roads,   installation   of   non-conventional   sources   of  energy  for lighting purpose, social security or any other innovative activity meant for the comprehensive socio-economic development of PVTGs.

- (x)  Institutional  Support  for  Development  &  Marketing  of  Tribal  Products/Produce (Central  Sector  Scheme): The  Tribal  Cooperative  Marketing  Development  Federation  of India Limited (TRIFED) is a Multi-State Cooperative Society set up in 1987 under the Multi State Cooperative Societies Act, 1984 (now the Multi State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002) which  functions  both  as  a  service  provider  and  market  developer  for  tribal  products.  It markets  tribal  products  through  the  network  of  its  retail  outlets  'TRIBES  INDIA'  in  the country. As a capacity builder, it also imparts training to Scheduled Tribe Artisans and Minor Forest Produce (MFP) gatherers.
- (xi)  Mechanism  for  Marketing  of  Minor  Forest  Produce  (MFP)  through  Minimum Support Price (MSP) & Development of Value Chain for MFP : A Scheme 'Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Development of Value Chain for MFP' was introduced by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in the  year  2013-14,  to  provide  much  needed  safety  net  and  support  to  people  belonging  to Scheduled  Tribes  and  other  traditional  forest  dwellers  whose  very  livelihood  depends  on collection and selling of MFP.

(xii)Support    to    National/State    Scheduled    Tribes    Finance    and    Development Corporations (NSTFDC/STFDCS): National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) is an apex organisation set up 10.04.2001, exclusively for economic development of Scheduled Tribes. The Corporation continues to function as a catalytic agent for promoting economic development activities of STs by providing financial assistance at concessional rates of interest.

(xiii) 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.  TRIs  prepare proposal and detailed action plan for the year along with budgetary requirement and submit it to the Ministry through State Tribal Welfare Department. Within the set of TRIs, there are cultural museum, library, training centre, research wing etc.

(xiv)  Tribal   Festivals,   Research   Information   and  Mass   Education :  Through  the scheme, promotion of rich tribal cultural heritage, dissemination of information and creation of  awareness  are  given  attention  to  which  includes  organization  of  Tribal  Craft  &  Food Festivals,  Sports,  Music,  Dance  &  Photo  Competitions,  Science,  Art  &  Craft  Expos, Workshops, Seminars, Production of documentary films by the Ministry & States, Bringing out  Publications  thereby  highlighting  significant  studies,  documenting  historical  facets  of tribal communities, achievements of Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) & State Departments besides other advertisements etc. at regular intervals. With a view to fill the gap of research studies on tribal issues, MoTA recognizes renowned NGOs, Research Institutes, Universities where  expertise  exist  and  which  have  already  made  a  mark  by  carrying  out  pioneering research in the field of tribal cultures as Centre of Excellences (CoEs). It is envisaged that CoEs should play an important role in building knowledge bank to complement dedicated Activities of the Ministry.

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