Lok Sabha Question No. 53 (STARRED), answered on 2025-02-06
Subject: Schemes for the welfare of Tribals in Maharashtra
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Balya Mama Suresh Gopinath Mhatre

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO- †*53

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 06/02/2025

## SCHEMES FOR THE WELFARE OF TRIBALS IN MAHARASHTRA

## † *53 . SHRI BALYA MAMA SURESH GOPINATH MHATRE:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  launched  any  new  scheme  to  improve  education  and  health facilities in tribal areas of Maharashtra and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to increase employment and self- employment opportunities for the tribal Communities in the said State;
- (c)  the  efforts  being  made  by  the  Government  to  preserve  the  cultural  heritage  of  the  tribal communities in the said State;
- (d) whether the Government has implemented any special scheme for the welfare of tribal women and children; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI JUAL ORAM)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the table of the House.

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## Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. † * 53 for answer on 06.02.2025.

(a): During  FY  2023-24,  Government  launched  Pradhan  Mantri  Janjati  Adivasi  Nyaya  Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) for socio-economic development of 75 PVTG communities residing in 18 states and one UT. The mission aims to provide basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking  water  and  improved  access  to  education,  health  and  nutrition,  road  and  telecom connectivity, electrification of unelectrified households and sustainable livelihood opportunities in 3 years. These objectives are planned to be met through 11 interventions including Hostels and Mobile  Medical  Units  (MMUs)  implemented  by  9-line  Ministries.  PM  JANMAN  has  total budgetary outlay of Rs.24,104 Cr (Central share: ₹15336 Cr and State share: ₹8768 Cr). Based on the  data  captured  (as  on  31.01.2025),  3909  PVTG  habitations  in  17  districts  of  Maharashtra covering 6,21,046 PVTG population is being covered under PM JANMAN.

Hon'ble PM launched Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan on 2nd October, 2024. The Abhiyan comprises of 25 interventions implemented by 17-line Ministries and aims to saturate infrastructural  gaps  in  63,843  villages, provide  social  infrastructure  like  hostels,  Anganwadi facilities  and mobile medical units and set up Van Dhan Vikas Kendras to provide livelihood opportunities benefiting more than 5 crore tribals in 549 districts and 2,911 blocks in 30 States/UTs in 5 years. The Abhiyan has a total budgetary outlay of Rs.79,156 Cr (Central share: ₹56,333 Cr and  State  share:  ₹22,823  Cr). About 4975 villages  under  32  districts  of  Maharashtra  covering 46,94,682 STs are being covered under Abhiyan.

Further, the Tribal Development Department, Government of Maharashtra has informed that it declared 250 Ashram Schools as Model Ashram Schools in 2023. In the first phase, the project 'Establishing Digital Environment' has been started to provide state of the art digital educational facilities in 121 Ashram schools out of said 250 Model Ashram Schools. For the academic year 2025-26, the project will be extended to cover the remaining 129 Ashram schools in the second phase.

(b): 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 including entrepreneurship among the tribal communities.

The Ministry 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 of each Van  Dhan  Vikas  Kendra  (VDVKs)  which  are envisaged  to  be the  centres  of  value  addition activities  of  MFPs/Non-MFPs.  Under  the PMJVM scheme,  a total  of 265  VDVKs, benefiting 79,650 members, have been sanctioned with sanctioned amount of Rs 3,975 Lakhs in the State of Maharashtra. Besides, 40 VDVKs having 3624 members, have been sanctioned with sanctioned amount of Rs 181.2 lakhs in the state of Maharashtra under the PM JANMAN scheme.

National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC), a Central Public Sector  Enterprise  (CPSE)  under  the  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs,  provides  credit  linkage  by extending  concessional  loans  to  the  eligible  Scheduled  Tribe  persons  for  undertaking  income generation  activities/  self-employment  thereby  instilling  the  spirit  of  entrepreneurship.  The prominent schemes of NSTFDC are Term Loan Scheme, Adivasi Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana (AMSY), Micro Credit Scheme for Self Help Groups (MCF) and Adivasi Shiksha Rrinn Yojana (ASRY). During the last five years, Rs. 45.96 crore of loan was d isbursed and 11649 beneficiaries assisted in Maharashtra under the schemes of NSTFDC.

Further, Tribal Development Department, Maharashtra has informed it is implementing skill development training programme for tribal students through Shabari Finance and Development Cooperation Ltd, Nasik to increase employment and self-employment opportunities for the tribal communities in Maharashtra.

(c): The  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  has  taken  various  steps  to  conserve  and  protect  the  tribal culture, heritage, tradition and customs in all states of the country including Maharashtra. The Ministry  is  implementing  the  schemes  of  'Support  to  Tribal  Research  Institute'  and  'Tribal Research, Information, Education, Communication and Events' under which various activities are undertaken  to  conserve  and  promote  tribal  culture,  heritage,  archives,  artifacts,  customs  and traditions  of  the  tribal  communities.  There  are  29  Tribal  Research  Institutes  in  States/UTs including one in Pune, Maharashtra and National Tribal Research Institute in Delhi. TRI, Pune has continuously been working for Protection of Tribal Culture, tradition and customs through tribal cultural  museum, organizing tribal cultural festival, organizing various competitions etc. The Government has given approval for Rs. 132.10 crores for establishing Gondwana museum at Nagpur.

(d)  to  (e): The  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  (MoWCD)  has  informed  it   is implementing schemes - Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 (Anganwadi Services, Poshan Abhiyan, Scheme for Adolescent Girls) and Mission Shakti for the welfare of tribal women and children. Under Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST), MoWCD is mandated to earmark 8.6% to total scheme allocation for welfare of tribal women and children. In FY 202425, MoWCD has allocated Rs. 2380 Crores for the welfare of tribal women and children.

The  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  implements  various  schemes,  including  Eklavya  Model Residential Schools and scholarship programs for ST students. Additionally, schemes such as Grants under Proviso to Article 275(1) of the Constitution, Grant-in-Aid  to  Voluntary Organizations for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes, and Pradhan Mantri Jan Jatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM) benefit all, including women and children.

Further, to reduce the malnutrition, infant mortality, maternal mortality, Tribal Development Department, the state of Maharashtra has  launched Bharat Ratna Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Amrit Aahar Yojana which aims to provide a balanced meal once a day to pregnant women and lactating mothers.

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