Lok Sabha Question No. 1011 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-26
Subject: Tribal Schemes in Assam and NER
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Abdul Khaleque

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 1011

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2021

## TRIBAL SCHEMES IN ASSAM AND NER

## 1011. SHRI ABDUL KHALEQUE:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the top five major schemes for the tribal population of the country;
- (b) the total funds allocated under all schemes in the last five years and the percentage of fund allocation to the North East Region;

(c)  the  details  of  the  percentage  of  tribal  population  that  have  benefited  so  far  from  the  schemes  in Assam?

## ANSWER

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

(a) Government is implementing Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP)/Schedule Tribe Component (STC) for overall development of tribal people across the country. Central Ministries/Departments and State Governments allocate certain percentage of their total Scheme allocation for tribal development as Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) funds. Five schemes of Central Ministries/Departments having major allocation under TSP are as under:

- i. Food Subsidy to Food Corporation of India under National Food Security Act
- ii. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
- iii. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan)
- iv. Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) / National Rural Drinking Water Mission
- v. Samagra Shiksha

In  so  far  as  the  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  is  concerned  the  brief  details  of five  major schemes/ programmes for tribal development being implemented are given at Annexure.

(b) & (c) The total funds allocated (Budget Estimate) for all the schemes of Ministry of Tribal Affairs in the last five years are Rs 30260.97 crore. Further, an amount of Rs 161017.23 crore has been allocated under Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) by obligated Ministries/Departments excluding Ministry of Tribal Affairs during last five financial years. As per the guidelines issued by erstwhile Planning Commission, Central Ministries/ Departments are required to earmark at least 10 percent of their budget allocation for specific programmes for the development of the North Eastern Region. Pursuant to these guidelines, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been allocating funds for development of the North-Eastern States. Funds provided are usually in excess of 10 percent of the total budget allocation.

TSP  funds  are  spent  by  different  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  socio-economic  development  of Scheduled Tribe communities across the country including the State of Assam.

Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (a)  of  the  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.  1011  for 26.07.2021  by  SHRI  ABDUL  KHALEQUE  regarding  'TRIBAL  SCHEMES  IN  ASSAM  AND NER'

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

(i)  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. The tuition fee as fixed by the state fee regulatory committee is reimbursed 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.

(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. Realizing the importance of the EMRS, 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.  During  2018-19,  a  separate scheme  was  introduced.  In  terms  of  the  aforesaid  Budget  announcement,  Cabinet  Committee  on Economic Affairs  (CCEA),  in  its  meeting  held  on  17.12.18,  inter-alia  approved  the  revamping  of  the EMRS Scheme.

(iii)  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.

(iv)  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.

(v) 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,  Uttrakhand  and  Jammu  and  Kashmir  where  it  is  90:10.  For  UT's without legislature sharing pattern is 100% Central Share.