Lok Sabha Question No. 657 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-25
Subject: Racial discrimination of Tribals
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Smt. Malvika Devi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 657

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 25/07/2024

## RACIAL DISCRIMINATION OF TRIBALS

657  SMT. MALVIKA DEVI:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the steps being taken to assure livelihood to tribal people;

(b) the details of the steps being taken by the Government to tackle racial discrimination of tribals; and

(c) whether the Government has taken steps to encourage schools in tribal areas and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a): 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) is engaged in promoting livelihood activities for the tribal communities across the country.

Under  the  scheme  'Pradhan  Mantri  Janjatiya  Vikas  Mission'  (PMJVM),  TRIFED provides  revolving  funds  to  State  Governments  for  procurement  of  Minor  Forest  Produce (MFPs) and establishment of Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) for value addition activities of MFPs & non-MFPs. TRIFED also provides backward & forward linkages to its empanelled tribal artisans / suppliers for marketing of their products under various categories like metal craft, textile, jewellery, painting, cane & bamboo, terracotta & pottery, organic & natural food products etc. through online and offline platforms. So far, an amount of Rs. 319.65 crores have been released as revolving funds and Rs. 587.36 crores have been sanctioned for establishment of 3958 VDVKs across the country.

Similarly,  NSTFDC  provides  concessional  loans  to  the  eligible  Scheduled  Tribe persons  for  undertaking livelihood  and  income  generating activities.  The  loan  assistance  is given  under  the  schemes  like  Term  Loan  Scheme,  Adivasi  Mahila  Sashaktikaran  Yojana (AMSY),  Micro  Credit  Scheme  for  Self  Help  Groups  (MCF)  and  Adivasi  Shiksha  Rrinn

Yojana (ASRY). Since the operationalization  of these  schemes,  an amount of  Rs.  3671.48 crores have been disbursed to 15,19,608 beneficiaries.

(b): 'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  under  the  Seventh  Schedule  to  the Constitution of India. The responsibility of maintaining law and order, protection of life and property  of  the  citizens  including  investigation  and  prosecution  of  crime  against  citizens including  women  &  children  rest  with  the  respective  State  Governments.  The  State Governments are competent to deal with such offences under the extant provisions of laws. However, the Government of India, from time to time, has been issuing Advisories to State Governments/UT Administrations for effective implementation of Protection of Civil Rights (PCR) Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and to take steps to effectively deal with crimes against community of Scheduled Tribes. Such advisories are available on the website www.mha.gov.in.

(c): The  Ministry  is  implementing  an  exclusive  Central  Sector  Scheme  of  Eklavya  Model Residential School (EMRS) to provide quality education to the tribal children (from class VI to XII) in their own environment from the year 2018-19 in remote tribal areas to enable them to  access  the  best  opportunities  in  education  and  to  bring  them  at  par  with  the  general population. Under the scheme, one EMRS is established in every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per census 2011). As on date, a total number of 708 EMRSs have been sanctioned across the country, out of which 405 schools are reported to be functional.

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