Ministry of Tribal Affairs revamps the schemes for comprehensive development of Tribals

What is the News?

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing various schemes for the comprehensive development of Tribals.

Pre- and Post-Matric scheme: It is a demand-based scheme. Under this, every ST student whose family income is up to Rs 2.5 lakhs is entitled to a scholarship for pursuing education from class IX to Post Doctorate across India. 

– The states send the proposal to the Center for the estimated expenditure during the financial year based on the expenditure incurred in previous years and advance up to 50% of Central share is released to the States. 

– After the State has disbursed the scholarship to the students, the balance amount is released to the State, provided the State has contributed its share.

Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution: Under this, Grants are released to States, having ST population for raising the level of Administration in Scheduled Areas and for the welfare of tribal people. This is a Special Area Programme and 100% grants are provided to States. 

– Funds are released to the state governments depending on the felt needs of the ST population to bridge the gap in infrastructure activities in the fields of education, health, skill development, livelihood, drinking water, sanitation, etc.

Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission: The Mission seeks to achieve livelihood driven tribal development in the next five years through the formation of Van Dhan groups who have been organized into Vandhan Kendras. 

– Under the mission, Minor Forest Produce(MFP) gathered by tribals will be processed in these kendras and marketed through Van Dhan Producer Enterprises. New haats bazaar and warehouses will be developed in the next 5 years as part of “Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan”.

– TRIFED would be the nodal agency for implementing the scheme. The products produced will be marketed through Tribe India Stores.

Venture Capital Fund for STs: It is a social sector initiative aimed at promoting ST entrepreneurship and supporting and incubating start-up ideas by ST youth

Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana: It seeks to develop Adarsh Gram villages by improving the living conditions of these villages, providing them better education healthcare facilities and facilitating their products to be linked directly with the market. The villages selected under this will have a tribal population of more than 500 and 50% will be tribals.

Source: The post is based on an article “Ministry of Tribal Affairs revamps the schemes for comprehensive development of Tribals” published in the PIB on 21st March 2022