Lok Sabha Question No. 3173 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-07
Subject: Schemes for the Welfare of PVTGs
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Smt. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3173

TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.08.2025

## SCHEMES FOR THE WELFARE OF PVTGS

3173.  SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the schemes currently in place to ensure the welfare of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs);
- (b) the details of the number of beneficiaries and the funds allocated and utilised under these schemes during the last five years, State-wise;
- (c) the details of the funds disbursed to Tamil Nadu under the Scheme of Grant-inAid to Voluntary Organisations Working for the Welfare of Scheduled Tribes during the current financial year, specifically for the welfare and development of its six PVTGs namely Todas, Kotas, Kurumbas, Irulas, Paniyas and Kattunayakas;
- (d) whether the Government has responded to the Indian Council of Social Science Research's (ICSSR) call for multi-disciplinary studies on PVTGs with specific focus on tribes in Tamil Nadu and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the status of baseline surveys conducted for these PVTGs in Tamil Nadu by the Government and the action plans formulated based on the findings?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (e) On 15th November 2023, Hon'ble Prime Minister 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 to improve their socio-economic conditions 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 being met through 11 interventions implemented by 9-line Ministries. PM JANMAN has total budgetary outlay of ₹24,104 Cr (Central share: ₹15336 Cr and State share: ₹8768  Cr).  Each  Ministry  under  abhiyan  is  responsible  for  implementing  the intervention  assigned  to  it.  The  details  of  financial  progress,  State-wise,  for

interventions of Ministry of Tribal Affairs under the abhiyan are given in Annexure I .

Besides, in view of the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN), the Ministry of Tribal Affairs through the State Governments/ UT Administration/departments has undertaken habitation level data collection exercise through PM Gati Shakti mobile application to estimate PVTG population  figures  and  infrastructure  gaps  in  order  to  cover  PVTG  population residing in villages & habitations under PM JANMAN. Based on the data captured by States / UTs for habitation level data collection exercise, the number of PVTGs and villages, State/UT-wise including Tamil Nadu, are tabulated at Annexure II . The actual number beneficiaries to be covered under these abhiyan is subjected to eligibility  criteria  of  specific  guidelines  of  concerned  interventions  as  per  norms approved.

Besides, Ministry of Tribal Affairs is also implementing a flagship scheme 'Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS)' to provide quality education to ST Students from  class  6th  to  12th.  5%  seats  in  each  of  the  EMRSs  is  reserved  for  PVTG students.

In the scheme of National Fellowship, 25 slots out of 750 slots are reserved for PVTG students. Under National Overseas Scholarship for ST students, 3 slots out of 20 slots are reserved for PVTG candidate.

The details of the funds released to NGOs / VOs in respect of Tamil Nadu for the welfare of STs including PVTGs  under the schemes of 'Grants-in-Aid to Voluntary Organizations  working  for the  welfare  of  Scheduled  Tribes'  during  the  last  five years and current financial year is as under:

|   2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26 |   2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26 |   2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26 |   2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26 |   2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26 |   2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26 |
|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|                                         1.17 |                                         2.75 |                                          2.5 |                                         3.77 |                                         1.89 |                                          0.2 |

(in Rs. Cr)

As  informed  by  Indian  Council  of  Social  Science  Research  (ICSSR),  it  has awarded   4 major projects related to PVTG communities in Tamil Nadu.

Annex referred to in reply to part (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3173  for  answer  on  07.08.2025  raised  Smt.  Kanimozhi  Karunanidhi regarding 'Schemes for the Welfare of PVTGs'

Details  sanction/  releases  of  funds  under  PM-JANMAN  for  Ministry  of  Tribal Affairs' interventions*

(in Rs. Cr)

| S.          | Name of State   | MoTA                                     | MoTA          | MoTA         | MoTA             | MoTA           |
|-------------|-----------------|------------------------------------------|---------------|--------------|------------------|----------------|
| No.         |                 | MPCs                                     | MPCs          | MPCs         | VDVKs**          | VDVKs**        |
|             |                 | Funds released during 2023-24 to 2025-26 | UCs submitted | SNA balances | Funds sanctioned | Funds released |
| 1           | ANDHRA PRADESH  | 47.49                                    | 19.87         | 0.06         | 3.0755           | 1.53825        |
| 2           | CHHATTISGARH    | 8.52                                     | 0.00          | 6.96         | 1.1975           | 0.59875        |
| 3           | GUJARAT         | 6.03                                     | 0.00          | 3.54         | 0.525            | 0.2625         |
| 4           | JHARKHAND       | 18.54                                    | 0.62          | 16.53        | 1.438            | 0.72           |
| 5           | KARNATAKA       | 28.99                                    | 3.33          | 15.42        | 0.918            | 0.292          |
| 6           | KERALA          | 2.29                                     | 0.00          | 1.10         | 0.2685           | 0.10825        |
| 7           | MADHYA PRADESH  | 25.99                                    | 13.47         | 11.78        | 2.545            | 1.27275        |
| 8           | MAHARASHTRA     | 45.03                                    | 12.47         | 24.65        | 1.812            | 0.90635        |
| 9           | ODISHA          | 36.60                                    | 0.00          | 11.85        | 2.2365           | 0.8891         |
| 10          | RAJASTHAN       | 6.76                                     | 0.00          | 1.66         | 4.421            | 2.20045        |
| 11          | TAMIL NADU      | 25.87                                    | 10.10         | 5.43         | 1.2015           | 0.60075        |
| 12          | TELANGANA       | 16.16                                    | 0.00          | 4.42         | 0.7305           | 0.36525        |
| 13          | TRIPURA         | 12.07                                    | 10.02         | 2.06         | 1.275            | 0.627          |
| 14          | UTTAR PRADESH   | 0.83                                     | 0.00          | 0.84         | 0.1595           | 0.0797         |
| 15          | UTTARAKHAND     | 7.20                                     | 0.62          | 0.17         | 0.317            | 0.1585         |
| 16          | WEST BENGAL     | 0.00                                     | 0.00          | 0.00         | 0.139            | 0              |
| 17          | ANDAMAN NICOBAR | & 0.00                                   | 0.00          | 0.00         | 0.028            | 0.014          |
| 18          | MANIPUR         | 3.30                                     | 0.00          | 0.00         | 0.3              | 0.15           |
| 19          | BIHAR           | 2.10                                     | 0.00          | 0.00         | 0                | 0              |
| GRAND TOTAL | GRAND TOTAL     | 293.77                                   | 70.50         | 106.47       | 22.5875          | 10.7836        |

Annex referred to in reply to part (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3173  for  answer  on  07.08.2025  raised  Smt.  Kanimozhi  Karunanidhi regarding 'Schemes for the Welfare of PVTGs'

Estimate  of  PVTG  population  based  on  the  mobile  application-based  habitation survey by State Governments / UT Administrations

|             | S.N.Name of State        |   PVTG Population |
|-------------|--------------------------|-------------------|
| 1           | Andaman &Nicobar Islands |               191 |
| 2           | Andhra Pradesh           |            518997 |
| 3           | Bihar                    |              8839 |
| 4           | Chhattisgarh             |            233337 |
| 5           | Gujarat                  |            153524 |
| 6           | Jharkhand                |            400954 |
| 7           | Karnataka                |             57501 |
| 8           | Kerala                   |             29533 |
| 9           | Madhya Pradesh           |           1322807 |
| 10          | Maharashtra              |            670543 |
| 11          | Manipur                  |             44694 |
| 12          | Odisha                   |            309883 |
| 13          | Rajasthan                |            128766 |
| 14          | Tamil Nadu               |            365473 |
| 15          | Telangana                |             63755 |
| 16          | Tripura                  |            274433 |
| 17          | Uttar Pradesh            |              3527 |
| 18          | Uttarakhand              |             95870 |
| 19          | West Bengal              |             67499 |
| Grand Total | Grand Total              |           4750126 |

*****