Lok Sabha Question No. 108 (STARRED), answered on 2023-12-11
Subject: Tribal Development
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Hasmukhbhai Somabhai Patel, Umesh G. Jadhav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO- *108

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 11/12/2023

## TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT

- *108. SHRI PATEL HASMUKHBHAI SOMABHAI: DR. UMESH G. JADHAV:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government of India has transformed its approach to tribal development in the last nine years;
- (b) if so, the key milestones and achievements of the Government's tribal development initiatives;
- (c) whether the Government has received any proposal from the State Government of Karnataka for inclusion of Koli Kabbaliga Community in the List of Scheduled Tribes (ST);
- (d) if so the details thereof; and
- (e) the details of the communities which have been included in Scheduled Tribe category since 2014, particularly from Karnataka?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI ARJUN MUNDA)

- (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. * 108  for  answer  on 11.12.2023

(a) to (b): Government of India is focusing on inclusive growth as reflected in its commitment to Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas and has taken various steps to uplift and empower the Scheduled Tribes.

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, 41 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.

Details of schemes/programmes/steps taken for the development of STs and milestones/achievements are given below:

In Union Budget 2023-24, an amount of Rs. 1,17,943.73 crore has been allocated as DAPST funds out of the total scheme budgetary allocation of 42 Ministries/Departments which is about five and half time increase in DAPST funds allocation than that of the actuals of FY 2013-14.

Government of India has declared  in 2021 that  15th November, the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda will be celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas. This day is dedicated to the memory of brave tribal freedom fighters so that coming generations could know about their sacrifices about the country and would recognize the efforts of the tribals for preservation of cultural heritage and promotion of Indian values of valour, hospitality and national pride.

Government  launched  Viksit  Bharat  Sankalp  Yatra  which  focuses  on  reaching  out  to  people, creating awareness and providing benefits of welfare schemes like sanitation facilities, essential financial services, electricity connections, access to  LPG cylinders, housing for the poor, food security, proper nutrition, reliable healthcare, clean drinking water, etc.

Government has launched PM JANMAN (PM- Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan) which is aimed  at  comprehensive  development  of  75  Particularly  Vulnerable  Tribal  Groups(PVTGs) residing  in  18  states  and  1  UT  who  continue  to  lag  behind  in  socio  economic  indicators  of educational, health and livelihood with  a total outlay of Rs.24,104 crore.

For saturation of gaps in the development of tribal villages, Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna aims at transforming villages with significant tribal population covering about population of 4.22 crore (About 40% of the total Tribal Population). It is envisaged to cover 36,428 villages having at least 50% tribal population and 500 STs across States / UTs with notified STs by 202526.  An amount of Rs. 2205.21 crores has already been released to the States under the scheme.

In order to provide quality education to tribal students in their own environment, a separate Central Sector Scheme was carved out in 2018 to improve the geographical outreach of Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) to every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons based on Census 2011 data. Moreover, a total of 38,000 teachers and support staff are being recruited for the Ekalavya Model Residential Schools which will benefit 3.5 lakh tribal students. As on date, 694 schools have been sanctioned, out of which 401 EMRSs are functional across  the  country  benefiting  about  1,18,982  students.  The  Scheme  is  now  aligned  with  the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to ensure that all children have access to quality education with an equitable and inclusive classroom environment which should take care of their diverse background, multilingual needs, different academic abilities and make them active participants in the learning process.

Under Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarships, Ministry of Tribal Affairs provides scholarships to around 33-35 lakhs ST students every year.

Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education is implementing Samagra Shiksha scheme, effective from 2018-19. Bridging gender and social category gaps at all levels of school education is one of the major objectives of the scheme. Scheme reaches out of girls  and  children belonging to  SC, ST, Minority communities and  transgender.  Scheme  also focuses on the identified Special Focus Districts (SFDs) on the basis of adverse performance on various indicators of enrolment, retention, and gender parity, as well as concentration of SC, ST and minority communities.

Due to the interventions  taken by the Government, literacy rate for STs has improved from 59% (Census) in 2011 to 72.1 % (as per Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report (July 2021 - June 2022). Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at upper Primary level has improved from 91.3 (2013-14) to 98.0 (2021-22); GER for ST students at secondary level (IX-X) has increased from 70.2 (2013-14) to 78.1 (2021-22); GER for ST students at senior secondary level (XI-XII) has increased from 35.4 (2013-14) to 52.0 (2021-22) and GER for ST students at higher education level has increased from 11.3 (2013-14) to 18.9 (2020-21).

'Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM)' aims to strengthen tribal entrepreneurship initiatives and to facilitate livelihood opportunities by promoting more efficient, equitable, selfmanaged, optimum use of natural resources, Agri / Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) / Nonfarm enterprises. Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) is the central implementing agency of this scheme. The scheme seeks to support the theme of 'Vocal for Local by Tribal'. Under PMJVM, the Ministry provides financial support for procurement of Minor Forest Produces(MFPs) at Minimum Support Price, creation of infrastructure facilities for development of MFP/non-MFP value chain and value addition training programmes through Van Dhan Vikas Kendras. 3958 VDVKs have been sanctioned  benefiting  11,83,412 persons.

National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC), a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, extends concessional loans to the eligible Scheduled Tribe persons for undertaking income generation activities/ self-employment through  its  implementing  agencies.  Number  of  beneficiaries  covered  under  the  schemes  of NSTFDC during last nine years is 8,71,101.

Under Skill India Mission, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) conducts skill  training  across  all  the  sections  of  the  society  including  tribal  communities  through  a comprehensive network of skill development centres/institutes across the country under various schemes viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National  Apprenticeship  Promotion  Scheme  (NAPS)  and  Craftsmen  Training  Scheme  (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). More than 6.5 lakh beneficiaries have been trained under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

Pradhan  Mantri  Awas  Yojana  -  Gramin  (PMAY-  G):  Department  of  Rural  Development  is implementing  rural  housing  scheme  PMAY-G  w.e.f.  1st  April,  2016  to  provide  assistance  to eligible  rural  households for construction of Pucca houses with basic amenities to achieve the objective of Housing for All in rural areas. 65.54 lakh houses  have been sanctioned for STs under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY)-Gramin, out of which construction of 52.54 lakh houses has been completed.

Jal Jeevan Mission: Jal Jeevan Mission, a centrally sponsored programme, aims to provide tap water connection to every rural household of the country by 2024. The goal is universal coverage of all rural households across the country and as such encompasses overall rural ST population/ households as well.  About 1.35 crore household have been provided piped water supply in ST concentrated habitations under JJM.

Swachh  Bharat  Mission  Gramin  (SBM  G):  Government  launched  Swachh  Bharat  Mission (Grameen) [SBM(G)] with effect from 2nd October, 2014 with the  aim to make the rural areas (including tribal areas) of the country Open Defecation Free (ODF) by 2nd October, 2019. All the villages (including Tribal areas) in the country have already  declared themselves ODF.  1.48 crore Individual Household Latrines have been constructed for ST households under Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM-Rural) since 2014-15.

Government is working  for eradication of Sickle Cell disease, which is a genetic blood disorder affecting the tribal population. In this regard, the Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission was launched by the Prime Minister from Madhya Pradesh on 1st July 2023.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) aims at providing financial assistance to all cultivable landholding farmer families across the country, subject to certain exclusion criteria. Under the Scheme, an amount of Rs. 6000/- is transferred annually in three equal installments of Rs.2000/- directly into the Aadhaar Seeded bank accounts of the farmers. About 1 crore ST farmers are getting benefits under PM-KISAN.

Government  is  focusing  on  affordable  healthcare  for  poor  and  vulnerable.  Government  has launched  Ayushman  Bharat  -  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Arogya  Yojana  (AB-PMJAY)  which  is  the world's  largest  health  protection  scheme  for  providing  health  coverage  of  Rs.  5  lakh  per beneficiary family per annum.

As  per  National  Family  Health  Survey  (NFHS)  conducted  by  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family Welfare, in respect of Scheduled Tribes, Infant Mortality Rate has declined from 44.4 (2015-16) to 41.6 (2019-21); Under Five Mortality Rate has declined from 57.2 (2015-16) to 50.3 (2019-21), and Institutional Delivery has increased from 68% (2015-16) to 82.3% (2019-21). Further, full immunization of children aged 12-23 months has increased from 55.8 % (2015-16) to 76.8 % (2019-21).

Government,  in  order  to  remove  the  financial  burden  of  the  poor  beneficiaries  and  to  ensure nationwide uniformity and effective implementation of the National Food Security Act (2013), is providing food grains free of cost to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households and Priority Households (PHH) beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).

NITI Aayog has published a report 'National Multidimensional Poverty Index' in July 2023 which concludes that 13.5 crore people moved out of multidimensional poverty between 2015-16 and 2019-21. Though the report does not explicitly mention about STs, district -wise data reveals that almost all the tribal priority districts have shown an improvement in multidimensional poverty.

(c)  to  (e): There  is  no  proposal  for  inclusion  of  'Koli  Kabbaliga'  community  in  ST  list  of Karnataka or any other State. However, the proposal from State Government of Karnataka has been received for inclusion of Gangamatha and its synonyms, which also included Kabbaliga and Koli, in the list of STs of Karnataka.

The details of the communities which have been included in the Scheduled Tribe category since 2014, particularly from Karnataka are as under:

(1) (i) 'Parivara' and 'Talawara' at Sl. No.38 as Synonyms of 'Nayaka' and (ii) 'Siddi' community of Dharwad and Belagavi districts alongwith existing 'Siddi' community of Uttar Kannada district at Sl. No. 50 in the list of Scheduled Tribes of Karnataka

(2) 'Betta-Kuruba' community as synonym of 'Kadu Kuruba' at Sl. No. 16 in the list of STs of Karnataka

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