Tribal Welfare Programmes

The details of the various Special Area Programmes under implementation in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs are as :

(i) Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Plans (SCA to TSP):

SCA is provided to 22 TSP States including West Bengal. Funds under this programme are released for employment-cum-income generation activities and the infrastructure incidental thereto, for tribals below the poverty line, thereby raising their economic and social status, including that of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups. Funds are also released as an extension of SCA to TSP for the development of 2413 forest villages in 12 States including 170 such villages in the State of West Bengal, in order to provide its inhabitants with basic facilities and services including inter-alia health care, primary education, irrigation, rain water harvesting, safe drinking water, sanitation and approach roads.

(ii) Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution of India:

This scheme covers all 22 TSP States and 4 tribal majority States, namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland. Under this scheme, funds are released to the State Governments for raising the level of administration in Scheduled Areas for the welfare of Scheduled tribes. A part of the grant is used for setting up of Eklavya Model Residential Schools, for providing quality education to ST students from classes VI to XII.