Special Incentive Scheme for Women of Tharu, Boksa and Other Tribes (For Training and Marketing)

What is the Special Incentive Scheme for Women of Tharu, Boksa and Other Tribes?

The Special Incentive Scheme for Women of Tharu, Boksa and Other Tribes is an Uttarakhand welfare scheme that supports tribal women artisans with two things: skill training in their traditional crafts, and marketing support to sell what they make. It is delivered through the state's Tribal Welfare / Social Welfare Department in the tribal areas of Uttarakhand.

The Tharu and Boksa (also spelt Buksa) are among the recognised tribal communities of Uttarakhand, living mainly in the Terai belt of Udham Singh Nagar and adjoining districts. Tribal women in these communities have long practised traditional crafts, but often lack two things that turn skill into income: formal training to upgrade and standardise their work, and market access to reach buyers who will pay a fair price. This scheme is built to close both gaps.

On the training side, the scheme gives tribal women structured, hands-on instruction in their craft: improving quality, introducing new designs and techniques, and building the confidence to produce for sale rather than only for home use. A modest stipend during training is reported for comparable Uttarakhand tribal and women skill programmes, which helps women attend without losing daily wages.

On the marketing side, the scheme connects tribal women artisans to platforms to sell; fairs, exhibitions, buyer links and product-collection arrangements, so that trained women can actually convert their work into steady income. This "train and then sell" design mirrors the Ministry of Tribal Affairs' national approach of combining skill upgradation of tribal artisans with marketing and supply-chain support.

Why this scheme matters for Tharu and Boksa women

The Tharu are the second-largest tribal community in Uttarakhand and live mainly in the Terai belt of Udham Singh Nagar. Tharu women have a long tradition of weaving and handloom craft, but that skill had been fading as younger generations moved away and cheaper factory goods filled local markets. Reporting on Tharu women's collectives describes how organising into self-help groups, upgrading their craft and reaching buyers has helped members turn weaving into a real livelihood, with some SHG members reported to earn in the region of Rs 10,000 a month once their products reach paying markets. That is the gap this scheme targets: without training, the craft loses quality and appeal, and without marketing support, even good work does not reach a buyer who will pay a fair price. By combining the two, the state aims to keep the craft alive and put income directly in the hands of tribal women.

Who is eligible for the scheme?

You can apply if you are:

• A woman of the Tharu, Boksa (Buksa) or another recognised tribe of Uttarakhand.
• A resident of Uttarakhand's tribal areas.
• Able to provide a tribe/ST certificate and residence proof.

You are not eligible if:

• You do not belong to a recognised tribe of Uttarakhand, the scheme is specifically for tribal women.
• You are not a resident of the state's tribal areas.
• You are seeking a benefit outside the scheme's purpose; this is a women-focused training-and-marketing scheme, so men are not the target group.

What does the scheme provide?

The scheme provides craft skill training and marketing support for tribal women artisans, and a modest training stipend is reported during the training period. The marketing help; fairs, exhibitions and buyer connections: is what distinguishes this from a training-only programme, because it aims to ensure the women can sell what they learn to make.

What documents are required?

How to apply for the scheme

The scheme is delivered offline through the tribal-welfare machinery in the district. Follow these steps:

1. Contact your district Tribal Welfare / Social Welfare Department office or the Integrated Tribal Development office covering your area, and ask about the current training and marketing programmes for tribal women.
2. Check when a batch or programme is running, since training and marketing activities are organised in cycles rather than continuously.
3. Submit your application with your ST certificate, residence proof and Aadhaar to enrol.
4. Attend the training in your craft, and collect any stipend paid during the training period.
5. Take part in the marketing support — fairs, exhibitions and buyer links, arranged by the department to sell your products.

How to check your application status

Because the scheme is run locally, the way to check on your enrolment or stipend is to follow up in person with the district Tribal Welfare / Social Welfare office or Integrated Tribal Development office that took your application. Keep your ST certificate and application acknowledgement handy so staff can find your record.

Why an application can be rejected

• No valid ST certificate for a recognised tribe of Uttarakhand.
• Residence not established in the state's tribal areas.
• Applying outside a running programme cycle, when no training or marketing batch is active.
• Incomplete documents; missing tribe certificate, residence proof or bank details for a stipend.

How does the training-and-marketing route work in practice?

Because the scheme is delivered locally, the practical experience for a tribal woman is a cycle rather than a one-time payout. A batch is announced through the district tribal-welfare or Integrated Tribal Development office; women enrol with their ST certificate and residence proof; they attend hands-on training in their craft over the programme period; and they then take part in the marketing activities, fairs, exhibitions and buyer links, that the department arranges to sell the finished products. Any stipend reported during training is meant to cover the wages a woman gives up by attending, and any support paid by bank transfer needs a seeded account. Keeping the enrolment acknowledgement is useful, because follow-up on a stipend or on the next marketing event is done in person at the same office that took the application.

Key facts and grievance route

This scheme is a narrow, tribe-specific livelihood programme: its purpose is to help Tharu, Boksa and other tribal women turn craft skill into income through training and marketing. Applications and grievances go through the district Tribal Welfare / Social Welfare Department and Integrated Tribal Development offices, with the state Social Welfare Department (socialwelfare.uk.gov.in) as the higher escalation point.

Note: this is a genuinely niche, thinly documented scheme. The exact stipend amount, the list of covered crafts, and the precise administering department (tribal welfare vs a state finance/development corporation) could not be fully confirmed on an official page at the time of writing, so those specifics are described in general terms and flagged. This entry may serve readers better as a section within a broader "Uttarakhand tribal women's livelihood schemes" page than as a standalone guide, and its figures should be confirmed with the district tribal welfare office before relying on them.