Lok Sabha Question No. 2464 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-18
Subject: Survey for Tribal Population
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Mahabali Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- †2464

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 18/12/2023

## SURVEY FOR TRIBAL POPULATION

## †2464. SHRI MAHABALI SINGH:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any study/survey has been conducted or proposed to be conducted to track the population of various tribal communities residing in the forest areas of the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the criteria adopted by the Government to commence welfare measures for the tribal people?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

- (a)  to  (b): In  censuses  conducted by  the Office of  Registrar General  & Census Commissioner, India, Scheduled Tribes (STs) wise data are collected. The village wise total STs population figures are published in the District Census Handbooks (Censuses 2001 & 2011), available at https://censusindia.gov.in/census.website/data/handbooks.
- (c): 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.Scheme-wisedetailsoffundsallocatedbydifferentCentralMinistries/Departmentsunder their schemes are reflected in the Union Budget as Statement 10B which is laid onthetableoftheHouseandisalsoavailableathttps://www.indiabudget.gov.in/doc/eb/stat10b.pdf

Details of some of the major schemes being implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs are as given below:

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.  As  on  date,  694  schools  have  been  sanctioned,  out  of  which  401  EMRSs  are functional across the country benefiting about 1,18,982 students.

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 2025-26.

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.

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

'Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM)' aims to strengthen tribal entrepreneurship initiatives and to facilitate livelihood opportunities by promoting more efficient, equitable, self-managed, optimum use of natural resources, Agri / Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) / Non-farm enterprises. Tribal Cooperative 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.

Further, the Government has also taken various initiatives to ensure social inclusion  such as reservation in education and employment, representation in Lok Sabha, State legislatures and Rural and Urban Local Bodies, subsidized credit facilities, entrepreneurship development and other infrastructure developmental programmes etc. by increasing allocations under various programmes and also bringing new programmes like  schemes of start-up India and stand-up India, PM MUDRA, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, PM Suraksha Bima Yojana, PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana etc.

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