Tribal Welfare Schemes

Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan is a Ministry of Tribal Affairs mission with an outlay of Rs 79,156 crore that saturates 63,843 tribal-majority villages across 549 districts with 25 interventions run by 17 line ministries. Launched on 2 October 2024, it targets over 5 crore tribal citizens in 30 states and union territories over five years.

Eklavya Model Residential Schools are free residential schools for Scheduled Tribe students from Class VI to XII, run by NESTS under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. 728 EMRS locations have been approved, 511 are functional and 1,63,896 students are enrolled. Admission to Class VI is through the EMRS Selection Test, with 60 seats per school.

PM-JANMAN is a Ministry of Tribal Affairs mission with an outlay of Rs 24,104 crore that saturates habitations of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in 18 states and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Launched on 15 November 2023, it delivers 11 interventions through 9 ministries, including 4.9 lakh pucca houses and 8,000 km of roads.

The MSP for MFP scheme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs guarantees a minimum support price to tribal gatherers for 87 notified minor forest produce items across 22 states. Tribal collectors sell at designated haat bazaars and procurement centres run by state agencies; any procurement loss is shared 75:25 between the Centre and the state.

Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana is a Ministry of Tribal Affairs scheme that gives Rs 20.38 lakh per village as gap-filling funds to turn 36,428 tribal villages into model villages. PMAAGY covers villages with at least 50% tribal population and 500 Scheduled Tribes. Villages are selected by the state government, individuals cannot apply.

Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana, launched on 14 April 2018, sets up Van Dhan Vikas Kendras where about 300 tribal forest produce gatherers per Kendra are organised into self-help groups and funded to clean, process, package and sell minor forest produce. Tribal gatherers join through a local Kendra formed by the state implementing agency, not by an online form.

Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST Students is a Centrally Sponsored scheme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for Scheduled Tribe students in Classes IX and X whose parents earn up to Rs 2.50 lakh a year. Central norms pay Rs 225 a month to day scholars and Rs 525 to hostellers for 10 months, plus compulsory fees. Apply on scholarships.gov.in.

Grants under Article 275(1) is a Ministry of Tribal Affairs programme that gives 100% central grants-in-aid to state governments for tribal development in Scheduled Areas, with 10% of the allocation kept aside as a performance incentive. States, not individuals, submit project proposals to the Project Appraisal Committee for approval.

PTP-NER is a Rs 143 crore Central Sector scheme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, run by TRIFED, that empanels tribal artisans in the eight North Eastern states and buys, brands and markets their products. Artisans join free at Tribal Artisan Empanelment Melas held in their district, not through an online form.

Grant-in-Aid to Voluntary Organisations is a Central Sector scheme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs that funds up to 90% of an NGO project cost for schools, hostels, health and livelihood work in tribal areas. Registered NGOs with an NGO Darpan unique ID apply online at ngo.tribal.gov.in; individuals cannot apply.

Support to Tribal Research Institutes is a Ministry of Tribal Affairs scheme that gives 100% grant-in-aid to about 27 state Tribal Research Institutes for research, tribal museums, festivals and training. TRIs submit annual action plans through their State Tribal Welfare Department; individuals cannot apply for a personal grant.