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The initiatives taken by the Ministry and the achievements made since assumption of office by the UPA Government are as follows:
I. Allocation of funds to States, inviting project proposals
The Ministry communicated the funds earmarked to each State under various Schemes of the Ministry inviting project proposals in the month of May, 2004.
II. Release of grants to States in the First half of year
The Ministry released 1st instalment of grants to States in the very first half of the financial year.
III. Insurance Coverage to Primitive Tribal Groups
The Ministry had been receiving reports of unnatural deaths of Primitive Tribal Groups from various parts of the country. In order to provide social security to these Primitive Tribal Groups, the Ministry has decided to provide them benefits of insurance coverage under 'Janshree' scheme of Life Insurance Corporation of India in a phased manner. For the year 2004-05, funds to the tune of Rs. 5.00 crores has been released for providing insurance coverage to 1.00 lakh Heads of PTG families in 16 States for a period of 5 years. The entire PTG population (about 5 lakh) families is targeted for insurance coverage within Tenth Plan, i.e. 2005-06 and 2006-07.
The Ministry has also released Rs. 2.00 crores during 2004-05 to the UT Administration of Andaman & Nicobar Islands for resettlement and rehabilitation of Tsunami affected Primitive Tribals Groups.
IV. Implementation of the provisions of National Common Minimum Programme
In order to operationalise provision of NCMP improvement in HDI of the ST population and creation of critical infrastructure in tribal areas, the Ministry during the year focused attention towards development of core sectors through its schemes which broadly relate to income generation, creation of infrastructure in critical areas, empowerment of the ST communities through education with special emphasis on girls, augmenting productivity of the natural resource-base, including development of the lands of the STs by providing minor irrigation and other facilities to the extent possible, ensuring fair prices for minor forest produce, mitigate historical injustice done to the tribal communities living in and around the forest, etc. Intervention in these core sectors was aimed at supplementing efforts of Central Ministries/Departments dealing with their sectoral programmes and State Governments/UT administration and there by improves the overall human development indices the target group so as to further the process of their socio-economic and political empowerment.
As regards development of educational infrastructure in the tribal areas, the Ministry is attempting to create physical infrastructure within easy rich of the tribal students in tribal areas through establishment of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (currently 90 in number), creation of educational complexes in pockets having less than 10% literacy amongst women and by providing scholarships at all levels to the ST students.
The STs mostly own land, through productivity thereof is extremely low due to practice of rainfed agriculture. Assured irrigation in most of the cases is not available due to undulating terrain and inaccessibility of tribal areas. The Ministry requested all State Governments during the year to prepare specific projects for improving moisture requirement of the tribal lands through appropriate technologies, including watershed, water harvesting structures, minor irrigation, etc. The Ministry has received some proposals from the State Governments of Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Chhatisgarh, MP, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, etc., and also specific projects for development of land of PTGs like Chenchus. An amount of Rs. 50 crores has been provided by the Planning Commission as additional funds for minor irrigation during 2005-06.
Pending conversion of the forest villages into revenue villages, the Ministry has during the year taken a lead to create infrastructure in and around 2700 forest villages creating basic amenities in terms of roads, drinking water, school building and hospitals, etc. Due to this Ministry’s constant pursuasion, the Ministry of E&F have recently vide their circular dated 3.1.2005 accorded one time approval under Section 2 of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 allowing diversion of forest lands to Government Departments for taking up these activities. The State Governments have been requested by the Ministry to immediately take steps to identify the infrastructure required to be created in the States and accordingly projectise the same and include on priority for funding. To accelerate the pace of creation of infrastructure in the forest villages, an amount of Rs. 230 crores has been provided by the Planning Commission as additional funds under SCA to TSP for 2005-06.
V. Settling land rights of tribal communities
The rights of forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes who are inhabiting the forests for generations and are in occupation of forest land have not been adequately recognized so far resulting in historical injustice to these forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes who are integral to the very survival and sustainability of the forest eco-system. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been mandated to formulate a “Scheduled Tribe (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill”, the main objective of which will be to undo this historical injustice by recognizing and vesting the forest rights and occupation in forest land of forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes who have been residing there for generations but whose rights could not be recorded. The forest rights recognised under the said Bill would include responsibility and authority for sustainable use of forest land, biodiversity conservation and maintenance of ecological balance, thereby strengthening the conservation regime while ensuring livelihood and food security of the forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes. The Ministry expects to introduce the Bill in the current Budget Session, 2005 of the Parliament after completing the necessary formalities.
VI. Comprehensive land based plan for development
For effective and timely implementation of the Common Minimum Programme of the UPA, the State Governments have been requested to prepare comprehensive land based plans for overall development of the STs by taking up the developmental activities including minor irrigation on lands owned by STs.
VII. Task Force to address tribal issues set up
The Planning Commission has constituted a “Task Group on Development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes on Selected Agenda items in the National Common Minimum Programmes (NCMP)”. Pursuant to the decision of the said Task Group, an Inter-Ministerial Sub Group on Scheduled Tribe was also set up on 4.10.2004 under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Tribal Affairs, to suggest measures for overall development of STs and also affirmative action outside Government. After deliberating on various issues involved, the Sub Group on Scheduled Tribes submitted its report to the main Task Group on 9.11.2004. The report contains a number of recommendations and suggested strategies for the upliftment of Scheduled Tribes. The three major recommendations are:
(a) There is a very strong need for a separate strategy in each of the sectors focussed on the tribal areas taking the social, economic and geographical parameters into consideration.
(b) Instead of each Central Ministry/Department spending individually the 8% of the funds allocated to them under the ‘Tribal Sub-Plan’ (TSP), there should be pooling of this fund in respect of the major welfare-oriented Ministries. The funds so pooled should be utilised for schemes identified on a centralized basis as the most appropriate for Tribals.
(c) There should be established a mechanism under the Planning Commission or the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for planning and monitoring of projects and oversee the functioning of the schemes under the pooled funds.
VIII. Focus on creation of infrastructure for value addition
It has been decided in the Ministry to focus on creation of such infrastructure in the tribal areas, which enhances production capacity of the land and ensures value addition right at the grass root level. To operationalise the Ministry's decision of focusing on creation of infrastructure for value addition of the natural resource base, including minor irrigation on the tribal lands, the process of consultation with the State governments at the regional level has also been initiated so as to have State-wise in-depth discussion. The first regional Conference to approve such projects for the Western Region was held at Udaipur on 3.8.2004. The second regional Conference to approve such projects for the Central region was held at Raipur, Chhattisgarh on 10.9.2004. Meetings were also held at New Delhi on 14.9.2004, 15.9.2004 and 22.9.2004 with the States of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland for sanction of projects under SCA to TSP and Article 275(1) of the Constitution. This is being done for the first time in 25 years since the scheme was initiated. An amount of Rs.497.00 crores as against the budget of Rs.497 crores has been released to the States under SCA to TSP for taking up community-based income generating activities. An amount of Rs. 330.00 crores has been released under Article 275(1) to the different States for infrastructure development projects and establishment of Eklavya Modern Residential Schools in the country.
IX. Conferment of Ownership rights over MFP to tribals
The State Governments have been asked to confer ownership rights in respect of minor forest produce (MFP), including tendu patta, on the Scheduled Tribes after providing definition of MFP, which should be all the traditional produce being produced by all the tribals, by amending the concerned State Legislations, as provided in the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996. The Ministry has taken up this matter with the Ministry of Environment & Forests, who have drafted a Model State Minor Forest Produce (Ownership of Forest Dependent Community) Bill, 2004 for conferring ownership right of MFP on local communities.
X. Release of grants under educational schemes implemented by this Ministry
The Ministry is implementing need-based schemes in the area of education for ST population, viz, Post Matric Scholarship for ST students, Upgradation of Merit, Boys/Girls Hostel for STs, Establishment of Ashram Schools for STs in TSP areas, Vocational Training Centres and Educational Complex, etc.
(i) Post Matric Scholarship (PMS)
The Ministry has taken stock of its main scheme, viz, Post Matric Scholarship for ST students, and decided on account payments to the State Governments to the extent of 50% of the Central share of the previous years, so that the ST students may get the scholarship in time.
Though the scheme of PMS was revised w.e.f. 1.4.2003, the increase in rates of PMS ranging from 50% to 100% on its various components was not followed by an increase in the Budget allocation. UPA Govt. took stock of this and increased the budget for the distribution of scholarship and arrears wherever due from Rs. 64.50 crores (allocated in 2004-05) to Rs. 229.65 crores during the year 2005-06.
The funds released under the Schemes since assumption of office by UPA Government are as under:-
(Rs. In Crore)
Name of the Scheme
Grant released
Post Matric Scholarship
101.38
Upgradation of Merit
0.39
Boys/Girls Hostel
13.00
Ashram School
5.50
Vocational Training Centre
4.50
(ii) Continuation of National Overseas Scholarship
This scheme, which was not continued after March 2001 was approved for continuation till 2007 by the UPA Government. Under this Scheme, ST students are sent abroad for higher studies, if they qualify as per the provision of the Scheme.
(iii) Introduction of a New Scheme of Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship
In compliance of Common Minimum Programme, a new higher education oriented scheme to provide fellowships for M.Phil and Ph.D. courses has been conceived and budget allocation for the same has been provided for the year 2005-06. It is in the process of fianlisation.
XI. Scholarships/Fellowships to STs for Higher Studies:
A scheme to provide 670 scholarships to Scheduled Tribe students for M.Phil and Ph.D. level studies in recognized institutions has been approved. They will receive fellowships and other benefits as per UGC pattern.
XII. Publication of Newsletter "Janjatiya Jagaran"
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has started a Quarterly Newsletter titled "Janjatiya Jagran" (both in English and Hindi). The Hon'ble Minister for Tribal Affairs launched the 1st issue of the said Newsletter on 15.10.2004 in which prominent personalities participated and second issue was brought out in the month of January, 2005. The purpose of this newsletter is to create awareness among the people and in particular the ST communities about the various schemes being implemented by the Ministry for the welfare of the STs.
XIII. Exchange of Visits by Tribals
This Scheme enables the ST people below poverty line to visit other parts of the country for a period 10-12 days. The Ministry bears the entire expenditure. The groups in 10 members sponsored by State/UT Governments visit places of their choice. This enables them to improve their perspective and also help create awareness about the developments taking place in the country. During 2004-05, grant has been sanctioned to 11 State channelising agencies for 27 groups amounting to Rs. 23.81 lakhs.
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