Lok Sabha Question No. 3117 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-18
Subject: Scheme to Encourage ST Entrepreneurs
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dr. Sambit Patra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3117 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 18.12.2025

## SCHEME TO ENCOURAGE ST ENTREPRENEURS

## †3117. DR. SAMBIT PATRA:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is implementing any scheme to encourage Scheduled Tribe (ST) entrepreneurs, particularly new and first-generation entrepreneurs, for creating employment opportunities in ST-dominated areas of the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b)  whether the Government proposes to implement any special scheme in Odisha and the North-Eastern States to promote entrepreneurship and skill development among youth and if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the details of funds allocated and expenditure incurred during the last three financial years for schemes aimed at generating employment opportunities in Scheduled Tribe-dominated areas?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI DURGADAS UIKEY)

(a)  to  (c)  The  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  through  its  two  agencies  namely  Tribal  Co-operative  Marketing Development  Federation  of  India  (TRIFED)  &  National  Scheduled  Tribes  Finance  &  Development Corporation (NSTFDC) have contributed significantly in promoting economic activities being undertaken by the tribal communities and have impacted in turn their economic development.

The  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  is  implementing  the  scheme  'Pradhan  Mantri  Janjatiya  Vikas  Mission (PMJVM)'  through  TRIFED  which  envisions  to  strengthen  tribal  entrepreneurship  initiatives  and  to facilitate  livelihood  opportunities  by  promoting  more  efficient,  equitable,  self-managed,  optimum  use  of natural resources, Agri / Minor Forest Produce (MFPs) / Non-farm produce. Under the scheme, financial support  of  INR  15.00  lakhs  is  provided  to  the  State  Governments  for  setting  up  each  Van  Dhan  Vikas Kendras  (VDVKs)  which  are  the  centers  of  value  addition  activities  of  MFPs/Non-MFPs.  Since  the inception  of  the  program  in  2019-20,  a  total  of  4105  Van  Dhan  Vikas  Kendras  (VDVKs)  have  been sanctioned associating 12,27,231 members. Additionally, under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) initiative, a total of 539 VDVKs have been sanctioned associating 45,924 members. State-wise details of the same is given at Annexure-I.

TRIFED  also  provides  backward  and  forward  linkages  for  tribal  artisans  and  suppliers,  facilitating  the marketing  of  tribal  products  across  various  categories,  including  metal  craft,  textiles,  jewelry,  paintings, cane and bamboo, terracotta and pottery, as well as organic and natural food products. These products are marketed through both online and offline platforms.

Additionally, PMJVM scheme has provision for procurement of Minor Forest Produce (MFPs) at Minimum Support Price (MSP) thereby safeguarding their efforts in MFP collection. Furthermore, TRIFED organizes and participates in festivals, exhibitions, and trade fairs to provide a platform for tribal artisans to showcase their products, connect with potential buyers, and enhance their entrepreneurial opportunities.

The National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC), a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, facilitates credit linkage by providing concessional loans to eligible Scheduled Tribe individuals/SHGs for undertaking income-generating activities and selfemployment, thereby fostering entrepreneurship. The key schemes of NSTFDC are as follows:

- Term Loan Scheme: NSTFDC extends financial assistance for viable projects costing up to ₹50 lakh per  unit.  Under  this  scheme,  up  to  90%  of  the  project  cost  is  funded,  with  the  remaining  amount covered through subsidy, promoter contribution, or margin money.
- Adivasi Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana (AMSY): A dedicated scheme for the economic empowerment of  Scheduled Tribe women, providing loans of up to ₹2 lakh per project at a highly  concessional interest rate of 4% per annum, covering up to 90% of the project cost.
- Micro  Credit  Scheme  for  Self-Help  Groups  (MCF):  Designed  exclusively  for  Self-Help  Groups (SHGs) to  address  the  small  loan  requirements  of  Scheduled  Tribe  members.  Under  this  scheme, loans of up to ₹50,000 per member and a maximum of ₹5 lakh per SHG are provided.
- Adivasi Shiksha Rrinn Yojana (ASRY): An education loan scheme aimed at supporting Scheduled Tribe students in pursuing technical and professional education, including Ph.D. programs, in India. Financial assistance of up to ₹10 lakh per eligible family is provided at a concessional interest rate of 6% per annum.

State-wise amount of loans disbursed and beneficiaries under the schemes of NSTFDC in the last three years is given at Annexure-II.

The  Ministry  has  also  launched  Venture  Capital  Fund  for  Scheduled  Tribes  (VCF-ST)  to  promote entrepreneurship  in  India  among  the  Scheduled  Tribes  by  providing  concessional  finance  to  them.  The details of the beneficiaries who have received support under the VCF-ST scheme since its inception, Statewise, is given below:

|   S. No. | State                                   | Beneficiary                             |   Amount of financial assistance sanctioned (₹ in crores) |
|----------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | ChhattisgarhHemal Food Product Pvt Ltd. | ChhattisgarhHemal Food Product Pvt Ltd. |                                                      3.41 |
|        2 | Telangana                               | Harleys India Pvt. Ltd.                 |                                                      5    |

Annexure-I referred to in reply to Part (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3117 for 18.12.2025

| PMJVMVDVKs   | PMJVMVDVKs        | PMJVMVDVKs       | PMJVMVDVKs    | PMJVMVDVKs                  |
|--------------|-------------------|------------------|---------------|-----------------------------|
| Sl. No.      | States/UTs        | VDVKs Sanctioned | Beneficiaries | Funds Sanctioned (In Lakhs) |
| 1            | Andhra Pradesh    | 415              | 123258        | 6162.9                      |
| 2            | Arunachal Pradesh | 106              | 32897         | 1590                        |
| 3            | Assam             | 483              | 146909        | 7245                        |
| 4            | Chhattisgarh      | 139              | 41700         | 2085                        |
| 5            | DNH&DD            | 1                | 302           | 15                          |
| 6            | Goa               | 10               | 3000          | 150                         |
| 7            | Gujarat           | 200              | 57968         | 2895.65                     |
| 8            | Himachal Pradesh  | 4                | 1110          | 55.5                        |
| 9            | Jammu &Kashmir    | 100              | 29791         | 1457                        |
| 10           | Jharkhand         | 146              | 43701         | 2174.7                      |
| 11           | Karnataka         | 140              | 41748         | 2087.4                      |
| 12           | Kerala            | 44               | 12038         | 597.25                      |
| 13           | Ladakh            | 10               | 3000          | 150                         |
| 14           | Madhya Pradesh    | 126              | 37860         | 1890                        |
| 15           | Maharashtra       | 279              | 83850         | 4185                        |
| 16           | Manipur           | 204              | 61,493        | 3051.8                      |
| 17           | Meghalaya         | 169              | 50835         | 2534.1                      |
| 18           | Mizoram           | 286              | 84268         | 4211.55                     |
| 19           | Nagaland          | 347              | 104068        | 5203.4                      |
| 20           | Odisha            | 170              | 50094         | 2479.25                     |
| 21           | Rajasthan         | 505              | 152362        | 7513.55                     |
| 22           | Sikkim            | 80               | 23801         | 1169.05                     |
| 23           | Tamil Nadu        | 8                | 2400          | 120                         |
| 24           | Telangana         | 17               | 5100          | 255                         |
| 25           | Tripura           | 57               | 16116         | 776                         |
| 26           | Uttar Pradesh     | 25               | 7238          | 359.55                      |
| 27           | Uttarakhand       | 12               | 3605          | 179.95                      |
| 28           | West Bengal       | 22               | 6719          | 329.35                      |
| TOTAL        | TOTAL             | 4105             | 1227231       | 60922.95                    |

Annexure-I referred to in reply to Part (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3117 for 18.12.2025

| PM-JANMAN VDVK   | PM-JANMAN VDVK   | PM-JANMAN VDVK   | PM-JANMAN VDVK   | PM-JANMAN VDVK              |
|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|-----------------------------|
| Sl. No.          | States/ UTs      | VDVKs Sanctioned | Beneficiaries    | Funds Sanctioned (In Lakhs) |
| 1                | Andaman &Nicobar | 1                | 56               | 2.80                        |
| 2                | Andhra Pradesh   | 73               | 6162             | 307.55                      |
| 3                | Chhattisgarh     | 16               | 2395             | 119.75                      |
| 4                | Gujarat          | 21               | 1050             | 52.50                       |
| 5                | Jharkhand        | 35               | 2876             | 143.80                      |
| 6                | Karnataka        | 33               | 1836             | 91.80                       |
| 7                | Kerala           | 7                | 537              | 26.85                       |
| 8                | Madhya Pradesh   | 83               | 5091             | 254.50                      |
| 9                | Maharashtra      | 40               | 3624             | 181.20                      |
| 10               | Manipur          | 2                | 600              | 30.00                       |
| 11               | Odisha           | 66               | 5244             | 262.95                      |
| 12               | Rajasthan        | 51               | 8842             | 442.10                      |
| 13               | Tamil Nadu       | 37               | 2403             | 120.15                      |
| 14               | Telangana        | 25               | 1427             | 73.05                       |
| 15               | Tripura          | 30               | 2550             | 127.50                      |
| 16               | Uttarakhand      | 9                | 634              | 31.70                       |
| 17               | Uttar Pradesh    | 5                | 319              | 15.95                       |
| 18               | West Bengal      | 5                | 278              | 13.9                        |
|                  | Total            | 539              | 45924            | 2298.05                     |

## Annexure-II referred to in reply to Part (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3117 for 18.12.2025

## State-wise amount of loans disbursed and beneficiaries under the schemes of NSTFDC in the last three years

| S.   |                     | 2022-23   | 2022-23              | 2023-24   | 2023-24              | 2024-25   | 2024-25              |
|------|---------------------|-----------|----------------------|-----------|----------------------|-----------|----------------------|
| No.  | State               | Amt.      | No. of beneficiaries | Amt.      | No. of beneficiaries | Amt.      | No. of beneficiaries |
| 1    | Andhra Pradesh      | 4119.80   | 13669                | 5551.49   | 27221                | 6039.21   | 12899                |
| 2    | Andaman & Nicobar   | -         | -                    | 0         | 0                    | 0         | 0                    |
| 3    | Arunachal Pradesh   | 699.90    | 1835                 | 25.77     | 13                   | 17.88     | 17                   |
| 4    | Assam               | -         | -                    | 40.02     | 43                   | 24.24     | 21                   |
| 5    | Bihar               | -         | -                    | 3.06      | 3                    | 0         | 0                    |
| 6    | Chhattisgarh        | 295.69    | 1216                 | 227.29    | 503                  | 499.43    | 4837                 |
| 7    | Dadra &Nagar Haveli | -         | -                    | 4.55      | 6                    | 0         | 0                    |
| 8    | Goa                 | -         | -                    | 0.22      | 1                    | 0         | 0                    |
| 9    | Gujarat             | 1019.61   | 5224                 | 2810.12   | 11848                | 4931.39   | 18461                |
| 10   | Haryana             | -         | -                    | 0         | 0                    | 0         | 0                    |
| 11   | Himachal Pradesh    | 56.90     | 120                  | 2.19      | 2                    | 30.60     | 33                   |
| 12   | Jammu &Kashmir      | 1272.54   | 535                  | 295.19    | 106                  | 1102.49   | 409                  |
| 13   | Jharkhand           | 3.00      | 756                  | 684.25    | 1703                 | 247.45    | 135                  |
| 14   | Karnataka           | 1582.42   | 1927                 | 853.41    | 1003                 | 1854.44   | 1368                 |
| 15   | Kerala              | 720.73    | 666                  | 446.74    | 258                  | 684.80    | 567                  |
|      | Ladakh              |           |                      |           |                      | 73.53     | 13                   |
| 16   | Madhya Pradesh      | 5392.05   | 10857                | 1759.58   | 828                  | 1660.72   | 1582                 |
| 17   | Maharashtra         | 658.19    | 1204                 | 2523.52   | 1528                 | 567.76    | 1005                 |
| 18   | Manipur             | 25.00     | 57                   | 235.49    | 174                  | 102.80    | 65                   |
| 19   | Meghalaya           | 470.60    | 1227                 | 475.91    | 1193                 | 298.09    | 112                  |
| 20   | Mizoram             | 5295.74   | 3584                 | 6856.69   | 4573                 | 6948.28   | 3529                 |
| 21   | Nagaland            | 20.39     | 1                    | 1199.77   | 771                  | 627.08    | 282                  |
| 22   | Odisha              | 63.19     | 4337                 | 362.35    | 17025                | 883.56    | 15045                |
| 23   | Rajasthan           | 789.35    | 1856                 | 712.22    | 885                  | 130.16    | 1091                 |
| 24   | Sikkim              | -         | -                    | 34.23     | 27                   | 201.63    | 46                   |
| 25   | Tamil Nadu          | 1087.13   | 3403                 | 3265.67   | 7327                 | 1210.39   | 6437                 |
| 26   | Telangana           | 4583.99   | 11861                | 3218.52   | 11369                | 5174.31   | 10777                |
| 27   | Tripura             | 48.02     | 20                   | 2014.62   | 2234                 | 1695.98   | 569                  |
| 28   | Uttar Pradesh       | -         | -                    | 3.37      | 4                    | 1.92      | 2                    |
| 29   | Uttarakhand         | 81.42     | 244                  | 32.59     | 8                    | 85.81     | 628                  |
| 30   | West Bengal         | 1643.34   | 8393                 | 1526.59   | 4486                 | 2233.75   | 8828                 |
|      | Total               | 29929.00  | 72992                | 24221.12  | 52432                | 37327.70  | 88758                |