How Modi Govt’s Pro-Tribal Schemes Will Be A Game Changer For Jharkhand | explicitly

Last update:04 November 2024, 14:21 IST

From the PM-PVTG scheme to the ‘Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan’, the Modi government’s pro-tribal initiatives have sought to address critical needs in health, education and infrastructure for vulnerable communities.

Particularly vulnerable tribal groups are those that depend on hunting for food, have pre-agricultural technology, zero or negative population growth and extremely low levels of literacy. (PTI file photo)

With Jharkhand assembly elections slated for later this month, the state’s tribal vote is in the limelight. How will the tribals of Jharkhand vote? Which party do they think can best serve their interests? Have any of the recent initiatives of the government changed life for the better for the Adivasi communities not just in Jharkhand but across the country? These are some of the questions that are going to define the Jharkhand assembly elections. The BJP, for one, is banking on its many pro-tribal initiatives to seal the deal in Jharkhand. In fact, about a year ago, the Modi government launched an ambitious scheme to ensure the provision of basic necessities and services to India’s most vulnerable tribal groups.

On 15 November 2024, the Center launched the PM-PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) scheme at a cost of Rs 24,000 crore to provide vulnerable tribal families and households with basic amenities such as road connectivity and telecommunications, electricity, safety. housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, access to education, health and nutrition and sustainable livelihood opportunities. PVTGs are those that depend on hunting for food, have pre-agricultural technology, zero or negative population growth, and extremely low levels of literacy. There are 75 recognized PVTGs in India.

Under the scheme, the government has defined certain areas that require immediate attention and gap filling. For example, under the PM-PVTG scheme, the Ministry of Communications is working to provide mobile connectivity in 3,000 PVTG villages that do not have any mobile or 4G network. Similarly, the Ministry of Power has been engaged to set up mini-grids in villages to electrify all households in PVTG housing. Where setting up such networks is not possible, the government is working to provide households with solar power installations.

To promote education among PVTG children, the government plans to set up hostels near existing residential schools. To ensure that PVTG communities have basic medical facilities in their villages, at least 10 medical vans are deployed in all such homes.

The scheme is being implemented on the ground with a hands-on approach evident from the fact that no less than nine ministries have been involved for the implementation of the scheme. The ministries have been given a clear task – to broadly coordinate with each other to ensure that 11 interventions – like PM-Gram Sadak Yojana, PM-Gramin Awas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission and others reach PVTG villages as soon as possible.

Before the elections, another big tribal push

While the PM-PVTG is being implemented over the past year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a separate initiative in October to transform the socio-economic landscape of tribal villages across the country. The ‘Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan’ with an outlay of over Rs 79,150 crore was launched to improve the plight of nearly 63,000 villages in 549 districts and 2,740 blocks. About 5 million tribals in India are expected to benefit from the scheme.

The initiative aims to fully address critical gaps in social infrastructure, including health, education and livelihoods, through 25 targeted interventions led by 17 central government ministries and departments. To strengthen educational facilities for tribal communities, the Prime Minister also inaugurated 40 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) and laid foundation for 25 more such schools valued at over Rs 2,800 crore.

Tribal development takes center stage

Since coming to power, the Modi government has taken a number of initiatives to develop tribal human resources with special focus on education, health and livelihood generation. In 2013-2014, the number of Eklavya model residential schools for tribal students was about 119. Today, more than 440 such schools are functioning across the country and the number of students in them has increased from 34,365 in 2023-2014 to 1. ,13,275 in 2023-24.

In 2019, the government decided to establish Eklavya model residential schools in every block with 50% or more Scheduled Tribe population and at least 20,000 tribal people. Work is also underway to develop over 36,000 villages across the country with at least 50% tribal population and 500 STs as model tribal villages under the Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh ​​Gram Yojna. In terms of land rights, the government has so far distributed 21.99 lakh individual titles and 1.08 lakh community titles under the Forest Rights Act.

Meanwhile, the budget of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has seen a three-fold increase since 2014. Other measures that have a profound impact on tribal lives include the Modi government’s decision to increase government assistance from just 10 forest crops to 90 now and approving the establishment of 150 of medical colleges in tribal areas.

As Jharkhand gears up for elections, the tribal vote will play a decisive role. The Modi government’s pro-tribal initiatives, from the PM-PVTG scheme to the ‘Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan’, have aimed to address critical needs in health, education and infrastructure for vulnerable communities. Whether these measures resonate with Jharkhand’s tribal voters and translate into support for the BJP will soon be revealed at the ballot box.