Tribal Affairs

The tribal population of the country, as per the 2001 census, is 8.43 crores, constituting 8.2% of the total population. The population of tribes had grown at the rate of 24.45% during the period 1991-2001.

· More than half the Scheduled Tribe population concentrated in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Jharkhand and Gujarat.

· The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, constituted in October 1999, is the nodal Ministry for overall policy, planning and coordination of programmes of development for the Scheduled Tribes. In regard to sectoral programmes and schemes of development of these communities, policy,planning, monitoring, evaluation etc. as also their coordination is the responsibility of the concerned Central Ministries/Departments, State Governemtns and UT Administrations.

· The total Plan Budget of the Ministry has increased from Rs.1146.00 crore (2004-05) to Rs.1498.82 crore for the year 2005-06, representing an increase of 30.78 per cent.

· Ministry initiated to provide a special project to provide 100 percent financial assistant to States for taking up minor irrigation schemes for tribal people.

States Receiving Grant The Ministry Of Tribal Affairs:

· Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh , Jammu & Kashmi, Karnataka,Kerala, Madhya Pradesh., Manipur, Orissa, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Jharkhand,Chhattisgarh, Uttaranchal.

Insurance Coverage to Primitive Tribal Groups
· In order to provide social security to 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 . The Ministry has released an amount of Rs. 5.00 crores to 16 States & 1 UT for providing insurance coverage to 1 lakh families.

During 2005-06 Rs. 10.00 crores have been released to extend insurance coverage to 2 lakh families. The remaining families (2 lakh approximately) would be covered during 2006-07.

Scholarships/Fellowships to STs for Studies :
· A provision of Rs.7.95 crore has also been made in the current year’s Budget for “Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship Awards for ST Students”, to be launched, to fulfill the commitments made in the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) for improvement of higher education.

· 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.

· The Ministry is implementing a few need-based schemes in the area of education for ST population, namely, Post Matric Scholarship for ST students, Book Bank, Upgradation of Merit,Boys/Girls Hostel for STs, Ashram Schools, Vocational Training Centres and Educational Complex, etc. The Ministry has taken stock of its main scheme, namely, Post Matric Scholarship for ST students, and decided to release 50% grants to the State Government in the first quarter of the financial year, on ad-hoc basis.

· Funds have been released for setting up of 90 model Residential Schools, spread over 24 states in the country.

Development of Forest Villages

· Special focus is being accorded to the development of forest villages by allowing various developmental activities for tribals living in forest villages. To be specific, Rs.230.00 crore for Development of Forest Villages, as part of SCA to TSP; and Rs.50.00 crore for Minor Irrigation on tribal lands have been provided. An amount of Rs. 22.12 crores has been released to the State of Assam for development of forest villages.

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. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been mandated to formulate a “Scheduled Tribe (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill”, which will recognize 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.

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