Lok Sabha Question No. 105 (STARRED), answered on 2023-12-11
Subject: Basic Amenities in Tribal Regions
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Ramesh Bidhuri, Satyadev Pachauri

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO- *105 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2023

## BASIC AMENITIES IN TRIBAL REGIONS

*105. SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI:

SHRI SATYADEV PACHAURI:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)   the  latest  initiatives  launched  by  the  Government  to  enhance  the  provision  of  basic  amenities  in  tribal regions across the nation; and
- (b)  whether these schemes are being monitored and evaluated to measure their success and identify areas for improvement?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI ARJUN MUNDA)

(a) & (b):

A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

## Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *105 for answer on 11.12.2023

(a)  &  (b): The  Government of India is implementing various schemes through sectoral Ministries wherein dedicated funds are earmarked as Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) [Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST)] for tribal welfare and development across the country. This includes support for education, health, sanitation, water supply, livelihood etc.

Besides Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), 41 Ministries / Departments are allocating certain percentage of their total scheme budget for tribal development under STC for various tribal development projects. Major part of infrastructure development in the areas with significant tribal population and provision of basic amenities to tribal people in the country is carried out through more than 200 schemes / programs of concerned Central Ministries and the State Governments concerned.  Scheme-wise details of funds allocated by different Central Ministries / Departments under their schemes are reflected in the Union Budget as Statement 10B which is laid on the table of the House and is also available at https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/doc/eb/stat10b.pdf

Allocation under STC has increased manifold since 2014-15 from 24,594.45 crore in 2013-14 to 1,17,943.73 crore  in  current  financial  year  2023-24.  States  are  similarly  obligated  to  allocate  funds  for  ST  welfare  and development in proportion to the population of ST under the Tribal Sub Plan.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) being the nodal Ministry for overall policy, planning and coordination of programs for development of STs is implementing various schemes for the welfare and development of STs. The details of the initiatives taken by Ministry of Tribal Affairs to enhance the provision of basic amenities in tribal regions across the nation are as under:

(i) Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY): Government has formulated the scheme of 'Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY)' for integrated development of villages for 5 years (2021-22 to 2025-26). Under the Scheme, 36,428 villages having at least 50% tribal population and 500 STs across States / UTs with notified STs have been identified for undertaking development programs / activities through convergence approach amongst Ministries to bridge gaps prominently in 8 sectors of development viz. Road  connectivity  (Internal  and  Inter  village  /block),  Telecom  connectivity  (Mobile  /internet),  School, Anganwadi Centres, Health Sub- Centre, Drinking water facility, Drainage and solid waste management and bring about saturation.

## (ii) Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) :

Government has recently launched Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) on 15 th November 2023, which is celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas.  The mission with financial outlay of around Rs.24,000 Crore aims to saturate PVTG households and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing,  clean  drinking  water  and  sanitation,  improved  access  to  education,  health  and  nutrition,  road  and telecom connectivity, electrification of un-electrified households and sustainable livelihood opportunities in time bound manner in 3 years.

(iii) ' Pradhan  Mantri  Janjatiya  Vikas  Mission  (PMJVM)': PMJVM  envisions  to  strengthen  tribal entrepreneurship initiatives and to facilitate livelihood opportunities by promoting more efficient, equitable, self- managed, optimum use of natural resources, Agri / NTFP / Non-farm enterprises. With a total financial outlay of Rs. 1612.27 crore for 5 years (2021-22 to 2025-26), there are 3 major components. The first component comprises of  'Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price

(MSP),where in MSP is fixed for 87 MFPs. The  2nd component, Development of Value Chain for MFP', wherein  Vandhan  Kendras  are  set  up.  The  3rd  component  is   'Institutional  Support  for  Development  and Marketing  of  Tribal  Products  /  Produce',  where  in  grants  are  given  to  Tribal  Cooperative  Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), which is the nodal agency for implementation of the Scheme.

Apart from above, Ministry is also implementing following schemes for welfare and development of tribal communities:

- (i) Pre-Matric Scholarship: It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented through respective State/UT administrations. This is an open-ended Scheme covering all ST students studying in Std. IXth & Xth, whose parental annual income is up to Rs. 2.50 lakhs. The contribution from Government of India is 75% and the state contribution is 25%. In respect of North East states and hilly states, the contribution from Government of India is 90% and the state contribution is 10%. In case of UTs like Andaman & Nicobar without Legislative Assembly and own grants, Govt. of India's contribution is 100%.
- (ii) Post  Matric Scholarship: It  is  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme implemented through respective Ste/UT administrations. This is an open-ended Scheme covering all ST students studying in in class XI and above, whose parental annual income is up to Rs. 2.50 lakhs. The contribution from Government of India is 75% and the state contribution is 25%. In respect of North East states and hilly states, the contribution from Government of India is 90% and the state contribution is 10%. In case of UTs like Andaman & Nicobar without Legislative Assembly and own grants, Govt. of India's contribution is 100%.
- (iii) Support to Tribal Research Institute (TRI): Under the schemes Support to TRIs funds are provided to the State governments / UTs research, documentation etc. based on their proposal.
- (iv) Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS): It is a central sector scheme introduced in the year 1997-98 to provide quality education to Scheduled Tribes (ST) students (Class 6th to 12th) in remote areas to enable them to access the best opportunities in education and to bring them at par with the general population. Realizing the importance of the EMRS, in the Union Budget of 2018-19, Government announced that every block with 50% or more ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, is to have an EMRS. Accordingly, the target of establishing 740 EMRSs across the country has been set up which is likely to benefit more than 3.5 lakh ST children.  National  Education  Society  for  Tribal  (  NESTS)  an  autonomous  society  has  been  established  to administer the scheme. As on date, 694 schools have been sanctioned by the Ministry, out of which 401 are reported to be functional benefiting about 1,18,982 ST children.
- (v) Grants under Proviso to Article 275(1) of the Constitution: Ministry of Tribal Affairs also provides funds to the State Governments under Grants under Proviso to Article 275(1) of the Constitution. It is a 100% grant from Government of India. Funding under this programme is to enable the State to meet the cost of such schemes of development as may be undertaken by the State for the purpose of promoting the welfare of Scheduled Tribes in that State for raising the level of administration of Scheduled Areas therein to that of the administration of the rest of the areas of that State. Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy for overall development of tribal people across the country, which includes various sectors viz. (i) Education (ii) Health (iii) Agriculture, Horticulture,  Animal  Husbandry  (AH),  Fisheries,  Dairy  &  others  in  Primary  Sector  (iv)  Other  income generating  schemes  to  augment  Tribal  household  economy  and  (v)  Administrative  structure  /  Institutional framework & Research studies.

(vi) Grants-in-Aid  to  Voluntary  Organizations  working for the  welfare  of  STs :  Financial  assistance  is provided to the Voluntary Organizations working for the welfare of STs

The following steps are taken to review/ monitor the performance of the schemes / programmes administered by the Ministry:

- i. The Ministry has developed a Performance Dashboard, which is integrated with the scheme specific portals for monitoring of financial and physical progress.
- ii. During Project Appraisal Committee (PAC) meetings the information on the progress on implementation of previous sanctioned projects is discussed in details and updated status is ascertained from the State Government officials.
- iii. Utilization Certificates and Physical progress report are a per-requisite for further release of funds as per provisions of GFR.
- iv. Officers  while  visiting  States/UTs  also  review  the  progress  of  implementation  of  various  schemes/ programs of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
- v. Review Meetings/ Conferences are convened at the Central level with State officials for ensuring timely submission of proposals, speeding up of implementation of the schemes/ programs, and reviewing the physical and financial progress. Besides, NITI Aayog also monitors the scheme output and outcomes monitoring framework.

*****