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. 42 Ministries/Departments including Ministry of Tribal Affairs 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 2025-26. 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, self-managed, optimum use of natural resources, Agri / Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) / Non-farm 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.
The Government has launched four mission mode projects, namely PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), Ayushman Arogya Mandir erstwhile Ayushman Bharat Health & Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs), Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
PM-ABHIM was launched to develop the capacities of primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare systems, strengthen existing national institutions and create new institutions to cater to detection and cure of new and emerging diseases. PM-ABHIM is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with some Central Sector Components. The scheme has an outlay of Rs. 64,180 crore till year 2025-26.
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.