Lok Sabha Question No. 756 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-07
Subject: Population of Indigenous Tribes
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Narendra Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- †756

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 07/02/2022

## POPULATION OF INDIGENOUS TRIBES

## †756. SHRI NARENDRA KUMAR:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the total number of tribes in the country;
- (b)  the State-wise total population of indigenous tribes, especially in Rajasthan; and
- (c) the details of schemes being run or proposed by the Government for the development of indigenous tribes in the country?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)  &  (b):  There  are  over  730  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 Rajasthan is given at Annexure I.
- (c):  Government is implementing Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP)/Schedule Tribe  Component (STC)/Development Action Plan for STs (DAPST) 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.

Annexure I

Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) & (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.  756  for  07.02.2022  by  SHRI  NARENDRA  KUMAR  regarding  'Population  of Indigenous Tribes'

State / UT wise ST population in India

|   S. No. | State / UT                          | ST Population   |
|----------|-------------------------------------|-----------------|
|        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                      | 12,75,106       |
|       11 | Jharkhand                           | 86,45,042       |
|       12 | Karnataka                           | 42,48,987       |
|       13 | Kerala                              | 4,84,839        |
|       14 | Ladakh                              | 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 | Dadra &Nagar Haveli 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)

Statement referred to in reply to parts (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 756 for  07.02.2022  by  SHRI  NARENDRA  KUMAR  regarding  'Population  of  Indigenous 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, interalia 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 & PostDoctoral 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,  a gricultural development,  animal  husbandry, construction  of  link  roads,  installation  of  nonconventional 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   Corpor ations (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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