Lok Sabha Question No. 1127 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-27
Subject: Upliftment of Tribals
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: RANGASWAMY DHRUVANARAYANA, DALPAT SINGH PARASTE

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

(MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS)

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1127**

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2015

**UPLIFTMENT OF TRIBALS**

1127: 	     SHRI R. DHRUVA NARAYANA:

SHRI DALPAT SINGH PARASTE:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

1. whether the Government has conducted any Socio Economic and Caste Census which confirms that the highest percentage of people considered deprived belong to the scheduled tribe and backward category in the country; and
2. if so, the steps taken by the Government for development of above said section on the basis of said census during each of the last three years and the current year?

**ANSWER**

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

(SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA)

(a): 	The Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 has three census components which were conducted by three separate authorities but under the overall coordination of Department of Rural Development in the Government of India. Census in Rural Area has been conducted by the Department of Rural Development. Census in Urban areas is under the administrative jurisdiction of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation. Caste Census is under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs: Registrar General of India (RGI) and Census Commissioner of India **.** The Ministry of Rural Development released the provisional data of Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 on 3 rd July, 2015. As per the provisional SECC 2011 data, out of the total households of 17.91 crore in rural India, the number of Deprived Households in respect of the SC/ST households is 3.86 crore i.e. 21.53%.

(b): 	Over the years, the Central and State Governments have been taking various initiatives for socio-economic upliftment of tribal population of the country. This includes the Tribal Sub Plan Strategy (TSP Strategy) implemented since 1974-75. Government through various interventions has strategized the overall development and welfare of tribal people across the country, which takes care of necessary support for education, health, sanitation, water supply, housing, livelihood, agriculture & irrigation, skill development, etc. to improve their economic, educational and social conditions. The major part of development activities is carried out through various schemes/programmes of concerned Central Ministries and the State Governments, while the Ministry of Tribal Affairs provides additive to these initiatives by way of plugging critical gaps.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs administers two special area programmes namely Special Central Assistance (SCA) to Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) and Grants under Article 275 (1) of the Constitution wherein funds are provided to 23 States and 27 States, respectively.  Under these programmes, this Ministry supplements the State Tribal Sub Plan as an additive for undertaking various tribal development initiatives and for raising the level of administration in Scheduled Areas with an aim to boost the economic and social status of tribal people.  The grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution also cover setting up of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs).  Besides, this Ministry has launched a new Central Sector Scheme ‘Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana (VKY)’ during 2014-15.  The VKY has been adopted as a strategic process to ensure effective utilization of available financial resources under Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP).  This process envisages to ensure delivery of goods and services to the tribal population across the country while striking at the critical gaps in a targeted manner through appropriate institutional mechanism, 100% grants-in-aid is provided by Ministry of Tribal Affairs under these programmes and VKY scheme.

The Ministry of Rural Development is implementing major programmes namely Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for wage employment, National Rural Livelihoods Mission(NRLM) for livelihoods promotion through self-employment, Indira Awaas Yojana for rural housing, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana for rural connectivity, National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for social assistance to rural poor.  These programmes are aimed at betterment of rural livelihoods and overall development of rural areas through creation of employment opportunities, infrastructures and providing social assistance to the rural poor including the scheduled tribes and backward categories of the country.

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