Tribal Population and Central Grants to Odisha

Why in News?

Recently, Union Minister Shri. Jual Oram laid a statement on the table of the House, in Rajya Sabha that the total number of Scheduled Tribe (ST) population residing in the State of Odisha as per the latest available data is 95,90,756 as per Census 2011.

What are the welfare and development schemes for tribal communities in Odisha?

• DhartiAabaJanjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan – The Abhiyan comprises of 25 interventions implemented by 17-line Ministries and aims to saturate infrastructural gaps in 63,843 villages.
• To improve access to health, education, Anganwadi facilities and providing livelihood opportunities benefiting more than 5 crore tribals in 549 districts and 2,911 blocks in 30 States/UTs in 5 years.
• The Abhiyan has total budgetary outlay of Rs.79,156 Cr (Central share: Rs.56,333 Cr and State share: Rs.22,823 Cr).
• Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) – The mission aims to saturate PVTG households and habitations with basic facilities such as:
  • Safe housing,
  • Clean drinking water and sanitation,
  • Improved access to education,
  • Health and nutrition,
  • Road and telecom connectivity,
  • Electrification of un-electrified households, and
  • Sustainable livelihood opportunities in time bound manner in 3 years.
• Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM) – The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing the scheme, which has been designed through the merger of two existing schemes for the promotion of tribal livelihood:
  • Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP)
  • Development of Value Chain for MFP” and “Institutional Support for Development and Marketing of Tribal Products/Produce”.
• The Ministry is implementing the scheme through Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED).
• It envisions to strengthen tribal entrepreneurship initiatives and to facilitate livelihood opportunities by promoting more efficient, equitable, self-managed, optimum use of natural resources, agri / minor Forest Produce (MFPs) / non-farm produce.
• Under the scheme, financial support is provided to the State Governments for setting up of Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) which are the centres of value addition activities of MFPs/Non-MFPs.
• Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) – Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) was started in the year 2018-19 to provide quality education at par with Navodaya Vidyalaya to the tribal children in their own environment.
• Under the new scheme, Government decided to establish 440 EMRSs, one EMRS in every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per census 2011).
• 288 EMRS schools were initially funded under Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution, which are being upgraded as per the new model.
• Accordingly, Ministry has set the target to set up total of 728 EMRSs benefiting around 3.5 lakh ST students across the country.
• Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution – Under the Proviso to Article 275(1) of Constitution, 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 ST population to bridge the gap in infrastructure activities in the fields of education, health, skill development, livelihood, drinking water, sanitation, etc.
• Scheme of Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS) – Earlier, Ministry of Tribal Affairs was implementing the scheme of ‘Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS)’.
• Historically, the scheme was initiated since 1977-78 with nomenclature ‘Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Plan (SCA to TSP)’.
• Consequent upon the amalgamation of Plan and Non-Plan expenditure, the nomenclature of the Scheme was changed to ‘Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS)’ during 2017.
• Under the scheme, funds were released to the state Governments having notified ST population.
• Including North Eastern States (NE States) for development and welfare of tribal people to bridge the gaps in sectors like education, health, agriculture, skill development, employment-cum-income generation, etc.
• The scheme has played a catalytic role in the overall development and welfare of tribal people and tribal dominated areas as an additive and supplement to the schemes of Central Line Ministries and State Governments.
• With the active and responsive support of the State Governments, Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been able to utilize the allocated budget of the Scheme to the fullest possible since 2014-15.
• Aid to Voluntary Organizations working for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes – Under the scheme of Aid to Voluntary Organizations working for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes, the Ministry funds projects in the fields of education and health, covering residential schools, non-residential schools, hostels, mobile dispensaries, ten or more bedded hospitals, livelihood, etc.
• Pre-Matric Scholarships to ST students – The scheme is applicable to students who are studying in Classes IX –X.
• Parental income from all sources should not be more than Rs.2.50 lakhs per annum.
• Scholarship of Rs.225/-per month for day scholars and Rs.525/-per month for hostellers is given for a period of 10 months in a year.
• Scholarship is disbursed through the State Government/UT Administration.
• Funding ratio is 75:25 between Centre and States for all States except North East and Hills States/UT like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir where it is 90:10.
• For UTs without legislature sharing pattern is 100% Central share.
• Post Matric Scholarship to ST students – The objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to the Scheduled Tribe students studying at post-matriculation or post-secondary levels to enable them to complete their education.
• Parental income from all sources should not be more than Rs.2.50 lakhs per annum.
• Compulsory fees charged by educational institutions are reimbursed subject to the limit fixed by the concerned State Fee fixation committee and scholarship amount of Rs.230 to Rs.1200 per month, depending upon the course of study is paid.
• The Scheme is implemented by the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations.
• Funding ratio is 75:25 between Centre and States for all States except NE and Hilly States/UT of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir where it is 90:10.
• For UTs without legislature sharing pattern is 100% Central share.
• Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes – Government is implementing Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST) as a strategy for the development of Scheduled Tribes and areas having tribal concentration in the country.
• Besides Ministry of Tribal Affairs, 41 Ministries/Departments are allocating certain percentage of their total scheme budget every year for tribal development under DAPST to bridge the developmental gap between Scheduled Tribes (STs) and non-ST populations and for various tribal development projects relating to education, health, agriculture, irrigation, roads, housing, electrification, employment generation, skill development, etc.
• National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development (NSTFDC) – It is an apex organisation set up in 2001, exclusively for economic development of Scheduled Tribes.
• This Corporation was incorporated as a Govt. company under Ministry of Tribal Affairs and granted license under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (now Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013).
• Loans are provided to Scheduled Tribes entrepreneurs.
• Support to TRIs – The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, provides financial support to strengthen the Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) in their infrastructural needs, research & documentation activities and training & capacity building programmes etc.

Reference

PIB| Central Grants to Odisha