NEW DELHI: India is home to a vibrant and diverse range of tribal communities, with the Scheduled Tribe (ST) population recorded at 10.45 crore, or 8.6% of the total population, according to the 2011 Census. These communities, comprising over 705 distinct groups, are spread across the country, often living in remote and inaccessible areas. To assist and support these tribal communities, the Indian government has launched various schemes and policies aimed at their upliftment, with a focus on sustainable development, cultural preservation, and socio-economic empowerment.
Historical Perspective and Government Commitment
The Indian government’s focused efforts towards tribal development date back to the implementation of the Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) in 1974-75, which evolved into the Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) and the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST). These plans ensured that various ministries targeted tribal welfare through a coordinated approach. The financial commitment has significantly increased, with the DAPST budget rising from ₹25,000 crore annually to ₹1.2 lakh crore in 2023-24. The Union Budget 2024-25 has further increased the allocation to ₹13,000 crore for the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, reflecting a 73.60% increase over the previous year’s estimate.
Launch of Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan
On October 2, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan in Hazaribag, Jharkhand. With an outlay of over ₹79,150 crore, this ambitious program aims to address critical gaps in social infrastructure, health, education, and livelihood development across approximately 63,000 tribal villages. The Abhiyan benefits over 5 crore tribal people across 549 districts and 2,740 blocks, spanning 30 states and Union Territories (UTs). It integrated 25 interventions across 17 ministries and departments of the Government of India.
Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS)
A key component of the government’s education initiatives for tribal communities is the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS). These schools aim to provide quality education to ST children in remote areas, facilitating access to higher education and employment opportunities. By focusing on academic and holistic development, the EMRS has emerged as a significant tool for tribal empowerment. Each school accommodates 480 students from Class VI to XII.
In order to boost the educational infrastructure for the tribal communities, Prime Minister inaugurated 40 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) and laid the foundation stone for 25 EMRS worth over Rs 2,800 crore. These schools are designed to be on par with Navodaya Vidyalayas and offer specialized facilities to preserve local tribal art and culture while also promoting sports and skill development.
Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN)
Alongside the Dharti Aaba program, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation for projects under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN). These projects, worth over ₹1,360 crore, focus on improving road connectivity, constructing Anganwadis and multipurpose centers, and building school hostels. The government also announced the electrification of over 75,800 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) households and operationalized 275 mobile medical units and 500 Anganwadi centers. Additionally, 250 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras have been established, and over 5,550 PVTG villages have been provided access to clean drinking water under the "Nal se Jal" scheme.
Key Government Schemes for Tribal Empowerment
1. Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship Schemes
These scholarships aim to reduce dropout rates and promote the education of tribal students:
-
Pre-Matric Scholarship: Provides financial support to ST students in classes IX and X, encouraging them to transition to secondary education.
-
Post-Matric Scholarship: Offers financial aid to ST students pursuing higher education from Class XI up to post-graduate courses.
2. National Overseas Scholarship for ST Students
This scheme provides opportunities for meritorious ST students to pursue post-graduate, doctoral, and post-doctoral studies at universities abroad. With a focus on excellence and international exposure, the government allocates 20 awards annually, reserving 30% for female candidates.
3. Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) Development Program
The PVTG program targets the most vulnerable tribal communities, focusing on improving access to healthcare, education, clean water, and electricity. Around 7 lakh PVTG families across 22,000 habitations in 200 districts benefit from comprehensive development plans under this initiative.
4. Support to Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs)
TRIs play a crucial role in preserving tribal culture and addressing their socio-economic challenges. The Support to TRIs scheme promotes research and documentation on tribal welfare, languages, traditions, and medicinal practices, while also organizing cultural festivals and exchange programs.
5. Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST)
The DAPST scheme ensures that all central ministries implement schemes for tribal welfare, with 41 ministries working in coordination. The plan focuses on filling critical gaps in education, healthcare, and infrastructure in tribal regions, backed by significant budget allocations.
6. National Fellowship for ST Students
This fellowship scheme supports tribal students pursuing higher education through a fully digital process, ensuring timely financial assistance and grievance redressal via DigiLocker integration.
7. National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC)
NSTFDC provides financial assistance to ST beneficiaries at concessional interest rates, focusing on income-generating activities.
8. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED)
TRIFED promotes tribal products through its TRIBES India outlets and e-commerce platforms, providing sustainable livelihood opportunities to tribal artisans. By promoting handicrafts, textiles, and other tribal products, TRIFED creates market linkages for these communities.
9. Aadi Mahotsav and Cultural Festivals
These festivals are platforms for showcasing tribal heritage, with the Aadi Mahotsav being a notable event. They are part of the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM), focusing on tribal skill development, heritage promotion, and economic empowerment. Other impactful schemes highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address on Janjatiya Gaurav Divas 2022 include the Swachh Bharat Mission, the Gobardhan Scheme for organic waste management, and the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, which supports maternal and child health. These initiatives reflect the government's commitment to improving the quality of life for tribal communities.
Socio- Economic Empowerment of Tribal Communities
The government has launched several schemes to empower tribal communities, particularly focusing on income generation and economic development. The Term Loan Scheme provides loans for viable business units, offering soft loans up to 90% of the unit cost with repayment periods of 5 to 10 years. The Adivasi Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojna (AMSY) is tailored for tribal women, providing concessional loans of up to ₹2 lakhs at just 4% interest. Additionally, the Micro Credit Scheme supports tribal self-help groups (SHGs) by offering loans of up to ₹5 lakhs per SHG. The Adivasi Shiksha Rinn Yojana (ASRY) offers soft loans to tribal students, helping them pursue higher education with interest subsidies during their studies. These schemes aim to improve the socio-economic status of tribal populations by encouraging entrepreneurship, education, and self-reliance.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs Budget over the Years
Improved Infrastructure and Livelihood Opportunities
The Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY) aims to provide basic infrastructure in villages with a significant tribal population. Under the scheme, 36428 villages having 50% tribal population and 500 Scheduled Tribes (STs) have been identified for providing basic infrastructure facilities in these villages, which includes villages in the Aspirational Districts identified by NITI Aayog.
Initiatives for Better Health Outcomes
Under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the National Health Mission has developed and distributed a comprehensive guideline to states for the prevention and control of haemoglobinopathies, including Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). Recognizing the severe impact of SCD, a genetic blood disorder prevalent among tribal populations in Central, Western, and Southern India, the government has intensified efforts toward its near-total eradication. To this end, the Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission was launched by the Prime Minister in Madhya Pradesh on July 1, 2023.
This mission focuses on providing affordable and accessible care to all SCD patients, improving the quality of treatment, and reducing the prevalence of the disease through robust awareness campaigns, universal screening, and counseling services. It emphasizes collaboration between central ministries and state governments to ensure that the most vulnerable tribal populations benefit from these efforts.
In addition to SCD initiatives, other health-related schemes like Mission Indradhanush aim to ensure full immunization for children up to two years of age and pregnant women, with a special focus on Adivasi communities. The mission has also expanded to provide free COVID-19 vaccines, further ensuring healthcare access for tribal populations.
Another notable program is the Nikshay Mitra Initiative, which offers additional diagnostic, nutritional, and vocational support to tuberculosis (TB) patients, many of whom belong to tribal communities. This initiative aims to tackle TB effectively, improving the overall health outcomes of vulnerable populations.
Furthermore, the Support to Tribal Research Institutes (TRI) scheme seeks to empower TRIs to undertake research, documentation, training, and capacity-building activities. These institutes function as knowledge hubs, contributing to tribal development through the preservation of cultural heritage and addressing socio-economic challenges.
Honouring and Celebrating India’s Tribal Communities
10 Tribal Freedom Fighters’ Museums have been sanctioned in States where tribals lived, struggled against the British and refused to bow down. On November 01, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for preparing a roadmap to develop Mangarh Dham in Rajasthan’s Banswara district. Mangarh Dham, situated near the Rajasthan-Gujarat border, is the site where over 1500 Bhil freedom fighters lost their lives in 1913 in a mass shooting by the British. The Mangarh Dham will be developed as a joint project of the governments of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, as a national memorial showcasing tribal legacy and their rich cultural heritage.
All these initiatives, along with other steps taken by the government, have paved the path of bringing the tribal communities into the mainstream while honouring their cultures, legacies and ways of life.
Conclusion
The Indian government's initiatives for tribal empowerment have significantly enhanced the socio-economic and cultural fabric of these communities. Through these programs, the Indian government aims to ensure that tribal communities receive the necessary support to bridge the development gap and improve their socio-economic conditions. The PM Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan and other initiatives like EMRS and PM-JANMAN reflect the government's commitment to empowering tribal populations and ensuring their inclusion in India’s growth story.
