Lok Sabha Question No. 1188 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-25
Subject: Impact of Covid-19 on Tribal Children
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Rahul Gandhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 1188

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 25/07/2022

## IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON TRIBAL CHILDREN

## 1188. SHRI RAHUL GANDHI

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has assessed the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Scheduled Tribes(STs)  and  Particularly  Vulnerable  Tribal  Groups  (PVTGs),  particularly  on  their health and nutrition outcomes;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the steps taken/being taken to improve inter- ministerial coordination to address severe acute malnutrition among tribal children;
- (d) whether the Government is currently implementing programmes to improve health and nutrition outcomes for tribals in aspirational districts, especially in Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

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

(a) and (b): Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is the sectoral Ministry on all issues related to  public  health  and  matters  relating  to  epidemics  including  tribal  areas.   As  per  information provided by MoHFW, during covid various interventions were taken for management of covid 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). 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.

(iii).  A  Scheme  on  'India  Covid-19  Emergency  Response  and  Health  Systems  Preparedness Package - Phase-II' (ECRP-Phase-II) during 2021-22 was 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 Pediatric 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).   Vaccination drive had been intensified across the country to safeguard the citizen from the fatality  of  COVID  including  tribal  people.   More  than  200  cr  vaccination  doses  have  been provided.

(vii).   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.

(viii).  As  informed  by  state  of  Kerela,  The  PVTG  families  of  Kerala  includes  Cholanaikkans, Kattunayikkans, Kurumbar Kadar and Koraga and mainly residing at the Districts of Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Kasergode and Thrissur. During the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic, tribes  of  Kerala  were  relatively  safer  than  the  mainstream  population.  Till  January  2021,  only 2682 persons were infected by the virus and the casualty was limited to just 35. Whereas during this second wave, COVID viral spread has been severe. As on 25.06.2021, 23183 persons have been infected by the virus, 19208 have got cured, 3767 are under treatment and 4130 are under observation. So far, 208 casualties have been reported. Earlier 54 tribal  settlements have been identified as high-risk clusters and now it becomes zero. At present PVTG settlements are not in high risk clusters. All the expenses for treatment of covid 19 patients of all tribal communities including  PVTGs  are  borne  by  the  Kerala  state  government  under  the  comprehensive  tribal health care.

(c): During Covid, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), actively 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. Various interventions under different schemes of MoTA and Government of India are listed as under.

(i).  During 2020-21, Ministry of Tribal Affairs provided funds to the tune of Rs. 5476.01 crore for various development activities including education, health, and livelihood. State Governments were 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.

(ii).Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation (TRIFED) coordinated with States to resolve the problems being faced by tribal's in disposal of MFPs, quantum of MFPs available with  States,  strategy  for  procurement  along  with  plan  for  storage,  value  addition  and  sale  of MFP.

(iii).  The PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMJKAY) was announced in March 2020, to reach out  to  the  poorest  of  the  poor,  with  food  and  money  in  hands,  so  that  they  do  not  face difficulties in buying essential supplies and meeting essential needs. 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.

(iv). Under POSHAN Abhiyaan Jan Andolan, or peoples' movement for improving nutrition by Ministry of  WCD,  MOTA  is  a  key partner Ministry. During the recently held PoshanPakhwada in March 2022, one of the key thematic areas was focus on traditional food for healthy mother and child, especially in tribal areas. To generate greater awareness on the same,  the  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  focused  on  EMRS  schools  by  conducting  activities  to sensitize children on dietary changes, encouraging locally available foods, conducting awareness programs on POSHAN in schools and through parent teacher interaction, sensitizing about traditional plants that help in nutrition gain, developing nutri-gardens in EMRS schools etc.

(d) to (e): Government has adopted a multi- pronged strategy for holistic development of tribal people  living  across  the  country  including  Wayanad  for  Health,  Nutrition  Sanitation  and Drinking Water Supply under different schemes of Government of India.

As informed by Government of Kerala, Nutritious food is provided to all pregnant women and lactating mothers, adolescent girls and infants through Anganwadi Centres. As per information provided,  Government  of  Kerala  is  implementing  several  programmes  for  the  overall  health care of the tribal people affected by covid 19 in concert with other Department and Ministries.

- o Health Care Institutions : The Scheduled Tribes Development Department is running five Allopathic outpatient clinics in the remote scheduled tribes areas of Attappady(2 clinics), Chalakudy(1  clinic)  and  Idduki(2  clinics).  More  than  24000  ST  patients  are  being assisted annually through these OP Clinics.
- o Medical Assistance through Hospitals
- o Tribal Relief Fund: Financial assistance is given to STs affected by various disease and natural calamities who are below poverty line who suffer from major diseases like cancer, heart,  kidney,  brain  ailments  etc.  This  also  includes  assistance  for  organizing  medical camps, provision of nutritious food on the advice of the doctor, cost of purchase of drugs, disaster management, accident relief etc.
- o Assistance  for  Sickle  Cell  Anemia  patient:  ST  patients  of  Sickle  Cell  Anemia  are provided  monthly  financial  assistance  of  Rs.2500/-  per  month.  Patients  are  mostly residing in the districts of Wayanad, Palakkad, Kozhikode and Malappuram.
- o Janani  Janma  Raksha:  The  scheme  is  envisaged  for  timely  assistance  of  Rs.2000  per month for 18 months for nutritional issues of mother and child.
- o Medical Units: There is 17 Ayurveda Outpatient Clinics and 01 Ayurveda Hospital that is situated at Aralam in Kanur District.
- o Mobile Medical  Units: The units are stationed  at  Nedumangad in  Thiruvananthapuram District  and  Thodupuzha in Idukki District. 03 mobile medical units are functioning in Malappuram, Palakkad, Wayanad through HLL (Hindustan Life Care Ltd.) and 2 units functioning in Kollam and Idukki through KMSCL (Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd.)
- o Food Support/Security Programme to address malnutrition and poverty among STs where priority is given to women and unwed mothers.
- o Schemes implemented with Grant-in-aid under Article 275(1).
- o Special central assistance to tribal Sub Scheme.
- o ST Promoters  to  facilitate  extension  of  benefits  to  tribal  beneficiaries  1182  ST  youths have been selected as ST promoters out of which 140 are working as health promoters.
- o Special Programme for Adiyas, Paniyas, PVTGs and Tribes living in Forest. Emphases is given  on  projects  relating  to  health,  food  support  and  economic  development  of  these special groups.
- o Engaging Committed Social Workers in Tribal Welfare.
- o Community Kitchen: The Community kitchen started in Attappady and Wayanad District for  enhancing  nourishment  of  vulnerable  population  including  pregnant  and  lactating mother, children, adolescents, senior citizens, chronically ill etc. The community Kitchen caters to the Irula, Muduga and Kurumba Communities. The programme ensures food to the  most  vulnerable  communities,  nutritional  education  of  the  communities,  builds solidarity  and  NHGs  among  the  communities  to  access  their  rights  and  entitlements, develops livelihood and augments income of these communities.

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