Lok Sabha Question No. 2982 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-12
Subject: Financial Assistance to Tribals
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dr. Hemant Vishnu Savara

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 2982

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 12/12/2024

## FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO TRIBALS

2982. DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has provided any financial assistance to tribal dominated Palghar district for entrepreneurship, education, and self-reliance; and (b) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (b): Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing various schemes/programmes for the welfare and development of the of the Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the country including Palghar District of Maharashtra.

Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) was started in the year 2018-19 to provide quality education at par with Navodaya Vidyalaya to the tribal children in their own environment. Under the new scheme, Government decided to establish 440 EMRSs, one EMRS in every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per census 2011).  288  EMRS  schools  were  initially  funded  under  Grants  under  Article  275(1)  of  the Constitution, which are being upgraded as per the new model. Accordingly, Ministry has set the  target  to  set  up  total  of  728  EMRSs  benefiting  around  3.5  lakh  ST  students  across  the country.   Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  approved  39  EMRSs  in  Maharashtra,  out  of  which  37 EMRSs are reported to be functional. Ministry has approved 7 EMRSs in Palghar district, out of which 5 are reported to be functional. Ministry releases funds to National Education Society for  Tribal  Students  (NESTS)  and  NESTS  further  releases  funds  to  States/  UTs/  PSUs/ Construction Agencies/ State Societies as per their requirements for construction of EMRSs and recurring cost for running of the schools. NESTS has released Rs. 12,919.16 lakh in 202223 and Rs. 8,525.91 lakh in 2023-24 to Maharashtra.

Ministry is also implementing schemes - Pre- Matric Scholarship to ST students, Post- Matric Scholarship  to  ST  students,  National  Scholarship  for  Higher  Education  for  ST  students, National  Fellowship  for  ST  students,  National  Overseas  for  ST  students  for  providing scholarship to ST students in the country.

Under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyay Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN), Ministry of Tribal Affairs has approved 30 multi-purpose centres (MPCs) with total approved funds of Rs.1800 lakhs (@Rs.60 lakhs per MPC) in Palghar district, Maharashtra which are aimed at providing multiple services including health, nutrition, skilling etc to PVTG habitations.

In  Palghar  district  of  Maharashtra,  under  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Janjatiya  Vikas  Mission (PMJVM) scheme, TRIFED has sanctioned 5 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) amounting to  Rs.  75  lakhs,  associated  with  about  1500  members  in  Palghar  district  of  Maharashtra. Additionally, under the PM-JANMAN, TRIFED has sanctioned 8 VDVKs in Palghar district with a financial outlay of Rs.  36.25 lakhs, associated with about 725 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) members.

National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC), under Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  (MoTA)  has  extended  financial  assistance  in  the  form  of concessional loans to the tribal dominated Palghar district. This financial assistance is given through the implementing agencies in the State of Maharashtra for self-employment. NSTFDC has disbursed ₹324 lakh covering 162 tribal beneficiaries in Palghar district (Maharashtra) for various  activities  including  Agriculture  Service  Centre,  Brick  Business,  Buffalo  Rearing, Poultry Farming, Goat Rearing, Flour Mill, Hotel Dhaba, Egg and Chicken Shops, Vegetable and Fish Retailing, Grocery Store, Garage, Cargo Vehicle, Decorators and Online Seva Kendra.

The  Ministry  has  approved  VDPs  of  1542  villages  of  Maharashtra  (95  villages  in  Palghar District)  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Adi  Adarsh  Gram  Yojana  (PMAAGY).  The  Ministry  has released an amount of Rs. 134.85 crores to the State of Maharashtra under the scheme.

Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA) has been launched which will cover more than 63000 villages including the villages covered under PMAAGY. Maharashtra will have 4975 villages under DA-JGUA. The State Govt has been advised to cover these villages under DA- JGUA, which is more structured version of PMAAGY with dedicated convergence of funds and saturation for key interventions from line Ministries and State departments. It envisages providing dedicated funds for multi-sectoral interventions through convergence of specific schemes of line Ministries/Departments.

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