Lok Sabha Question No. 1825 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-01
Subject: Guidelines for ST Welfare Budget Allocations
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Anto Antony

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 1825

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 01/08/2024

## GUIDELINES FOR ST WELFARE BUDGET ALLOCATIONS

## 1825 SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has noticed the Ministry's Annual report for 2022-23 which indicates that several Central Ministries allocated a lower percentage of funds for ST welfare as compared to the earmarking prescribed by NITI Aayog and if so, the reasons behind this discrepancy;
- (b) the steps taken by the Government to ensure that Central Ministries comply with the NITI Aayog's earmarking guidelines for ST welfare budget allocations;
- (c) the manner in which the Ministry address the potential negative impact on tribal development programs due to the lower allocation percentages reported in the 2022-23 budget;
- (d) whether the Government has any proposal to intervene and hold consultations with concerned regarding prescribed low allocation percentage for ST welfare in the 2022-23 budget; and
- (e) the details of long-term strategies being considered to ensure Central Ministries consistently meet or exceed the NITI Aayog's earmarking recommendations for ST welfare allocations?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e): Government is implementing Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST) as  a  strategy  for  the  development  of  Scheduled  Tribes  and  areas  having  tribal  concentration. Besides Ministry of Tribal Affairs, 40 Ministries/Departments are allocating certain percentage of their  total  scheme  budget  every  year  for  tribal  development  under  DAPST  for  various  tribal development  projects  relating  to  education,  health,  agriculture,  irrigation,  roads,  housing, electrification, employment generation, skill development, etc. NITI Aayog issues guidelines for earmarking of funds by the obligated central Ministries/Departments from time to time.

Some Ministries/Departments have not allocated funds as per the norms of NITI Aayog, whereas some have exceeded the mandated norm. In various review meetings, Ministry and NITI Aayog have raised the issue with the obligated Ministries/Departments. There was a need to review the existing guidelines in the light of new developments.

An Expert Committee was constituted by NITI Aayog under the chairmanship of member, NITI Aayog inter alia to review guidelines, the mechanism of allocation of resources for welfare of SCs and STs under SCSP/DAPSC and TSP/DAPST. Secretary, Expenditure or his nominee, Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Secretary, National  Commission  for  Scheduled  Castes  (NCSC),  Secretary,  National  Commission  for Scheduled  Tribes  (NCST)  and  Joint  Secretary  (SJ&E),  NITI  Aayog  are  the  members  of  the committee. The Committee met with Secretary / representatives of all obligated Ministries/Departments and deliberated details of their schemes/programmes under DAPST.   Now,  a  new  mechanism  is  being  worked  out  by  NITI  Aayog  to  ensure  adequate allocation, proper and full utilisation, institutional mechanism and assess the output and outcomes from time to time.

Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  has  done  villages  wise  gap  analysis  of  Mission  Antodaya  data  of Department of Rural Development. Ministry through convergence of funds available with different Ministries/Departments under TSP/DAPST is aiming at gap filling of the identified villages where the gaps within the jurisdiction of respective Ministries are identified like non-electrified house, lack of pucca house, lack of Aadhar saturation etc.

Pradhan  Mantri  Janjati  Adivasi  Nyaya  Maha  Abhiyan  (PM  JANMAN)  has  been  launched  to provide PVTG households and habitations with 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 a time bound manner in 3 years. PMJANMAN focuses on 11 critical interventions being implemented by 9 Ministries.

In  Union Budget 2024-25, Government has announced Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan for improving the socio-economic condition of tribal communities, by adopting saturation coverage for tribal families in tribal-majority villages and aspirational districts. This will cover 63,000 villages benefitting 5 crore tribal people. The Abhiyan aims at the holistic and sustainable development  of  tribal  populations  in  villages  through  the  convergence  of  schemes  and  funds available under Development Action Plan for the Scheduled Tribes (DAPST) of 14 Ministries/Departments.  The  Abhiyan  aims  to  cover  the  service  infrastructure  gaps  in  tribal villages in Aspirational Tribal Districts and Blocks, and also Villages with high concentration of tribal based on Antodaya mission gap data (2022-23).

Under Adi Passport to Earning (P2E), the students of EMRS will be imparted computer based learning in emerging fields/new age technologies through specialized institutions and building the setting up of Semiconductor Fabrication Lab in partnership with Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru for skilling 2,500 tribal students.

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