The Prime Minister launched the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, also known as Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PM-JUGA), for improving socio-economic conditions of tribal communities.
Socio-Economic Conditions of Tribals in India
Demographic Profile
Human Capital Profile
Population: 10.45 crore (8.6%) as per 2011 census including 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), living mostly in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
Socio-Economic Status: Over two-thirds of tribals are working in primary sector.
Overall, 40.6% ST population is below poverty line.
Access to Amenities:44% of rural households in ST areas are yet to get tap water connection.
Demography: Almost 90% lives in rural, hilly and forested areas.
Fertility: Fertility rate is declining.
Total Fertility Rate: 2.5, close to replacement level of 2.1.
Sex Ratio: At 990 per 1000 males, sex ratio among STs is better than all India average of 933.
Child Sex Ratio: Declined from 972 in 2001 to 957 in 2011.
Education: Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report (2021-2022) reveals that literacy rate for STs increased to 72.1%.
While 35% tribal people had attained primary education, less than 2% had received higher education.
Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER):
Upper Primary level: Increased 91.3 (2013-14) to 98 (2021-22)
Higher education level: Increased from 13.7 (2014-15) to 18.9 (2020-21).
Health: Life Expectancy at birth: 63.9 years, as against 67 years for general population.
Percentage of Underweight: Under age five years has declined from 54.5 in 2005-06 to 45.3 in 2015-16.
Institutional Delivery: Increased from 17.7% (2005-06) to 82.3 % (2019-21).
Infant Mortality Rate: Declined from 62.1 (2005-06) to 41.6 in 2019-21.
Face Triple Burden of Diseases:Malnutrition and communicable diseases like malaria and tuberculosis, non-communicable diseases like cancer, hypertension and diabetes, and mental illnesses, especially addiction.
Malnutrition: The prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight has reduced from 43.8%, 27.4% and 45.3% respectively in NFHS-4 to 40.9%, 23.2% and 39.5% respectively under NFHS-5.
Estimated prevalence of TB (per 100,000) was 703 cases against 256 in non-tribal population.
Genetic Disorders: The prevalence of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is prevalent in 1 in 86 births. Other prevalent genetic disorders include thalassemia and G6PD deficiency.
Infrastructure: At an all-India level, there is a shortfall of 6,796 Sub Centres, 1267 Primary Health Centres and 309 Community Health Centres in tribal areas as on March 31, 2015.
Key Features of the Scheme
Objective: Improving the socio-economic condition of tribal communities, by adopting saturation coverage for tribal families in tribal-majority villages and aspirational districts.
It envisions saturation of critical gaps in social infrastructure, health, education, livelihood, through different schemes by convergence and outreach.
It aims to ensure holistic and sustainable development of tribal areas and communities based on learnings and success of PMJANMAN (Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan).
Funding: Total outlay of Rs.79,156 crore (Central Share: Rs.56,333 crore and State Share: Rs. 22,823 crore).
Coverage: This will cover around 63,000 villages benefitting more than 5 crore tribal people.
It will cover 549 districts and 2,740 blocks spread across all tribal majority villages across 30 States/UTs.
Mission Components: It comprises of 25 interventions which will be implemented by 17-line ministries.
Funds will be allocated to them under Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST) in next 5 years.
It encompasses over 200 schemes relating to literacy, health, skill development, education, livelihood, agriculture etc.
Mapping and Monitoring: Tribal villages covered under the Abhiyan would be mapped and monitored on PM Gati Shakti Portal.
Goals under the Mission
Goal-1: Developing Enabling Infrastructure
Pucca house for eligible Households with other entitlements:
Eligible ST household shall have access to pucca housing under the PM Awaas Yojana (Gramin) with availability of tapped water (Jal Jeevan Mission) and electricity supply (RDSS).
Eligible ST household shall also have access to Ayushman Bharat Card (PM Jan Arogya Yojana).
Improving Village infrastructure:
Ensuring all weather road connectivity to ST majority villages (PM Gram Sadak Yojana),
Provide access to mobile connectivity (Bharat Net) and internet,
Infrastructure for improving health, nutrition, and education (National Health Mission, Samagra Shiksha and Poshan).
Goal-2: Promotion of Economic Empowerment
Skill Development, Entrepreneurship promotion and Enhanced Livelihood (self-employment) –
Providing access to training (Skill India Mission/ JSS) and ensuring that ST boys/girls get access to long-term skill courses after 10th/12th standard every year.
Marketing support through Tribal Multipurpose Marketing Centre (TMMC),
Tourist Home Stays, and
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fishery support for FRA (Forest Rights Act) Patta holders.
Goal-3: Universalization of Access to Good Education
To increase Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) to the national levels in school and higher education,
To make quality education affordable and accessible to ST students (Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan) by setting up tribal hostels in schools at district/block level.
Goal-4: Healthy Lives and Dignified Ageing
To ensure enhanced access to quality health facilities to ST households,
To reach towards the national standards in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR),
Coverage of immunisation through Mobile Medical Units in areas where sub centre is more than 10 km in plain areas and 5 kms in Hilly areas (National Health Mission).
Innovative Schemes under PM-JUGA
Tribal Home Stay: To tap the tourist potential of tribal areas, 1000 Home stays will be promoted under Swadesh Darshan through Ministry of Tourism.
Funding will be provided to the tribal Household and the village for construction of 5-10 Homestays in one village.
Each household will be eligible for Rs. 5 lakhs for the construction of two new rooms and upto Rs. 3 lakhs for renovation of existing rooms and Rs 5 lakh for village community requirement.
Sustainable Livelihood Forest Right Holders (FRA): Mission has special focus on 22 lakh FRA patta holders and benefits of different schemes of different ministries will be converged & provided.
The interventions are aimed to expedite the process of recognizing and securing forest rights.
Improving infrastructure of Government residential Schools and Hostels: Abhiyan aims to improve infrastructure of Ashram schools/hostels/Tribal schools /Govt residential schools for upgradation on the lines of PM-Shri Schools.
Advance facilities for diagnosis of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD):Centre of Competence (CoC) would be set up in AIIMS and premier Institutes in the States where the SCD is prevalent.
A Centre of Competence (CoC) shall be equipped with the facilities, technology, personnel and research capabilities for pre-natal diagnosis at a cost of Rs 6 crore/CoC.
Tribal Multipurpose Marketing Centre (TMMC):100 TMMCs will be set up to enable the tribal producers to get right price for their produce and facilitate the consumers in buying tribal produce.
The platform will also help in minimizing post-harvest and post-production losses and retention of product value.
Other Initiatives for Socio-Economic Development of Tribals
Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA): Enacted to recognize and vest forest rights in the Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes.
Education:Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) have been set up to provide quality education to ST students (Class VI-XII) in remote areas through residential schooling facilities.
Presently, more than 1.2 lakh students are enrolled in 401 EMRS.
Economic Empowerment: Minimum Support Price (MSP) is ensured for Minor Forest Produce, and marketing support for tribal products is provided through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Jatiya Vikas Mission.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Vanbandhu Vikas Yojana, a venture capital fund has been set up to promote entrepreneurship/start-up projects by ST youth.
Under this, 3,958 Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVK) have been sanctioned.
Infrastructure: Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY) aims to provide basic infrastructure in villages with a significant tribal population.
Health Outcomes: National Health Mission has prepared a comprehensive guideline to control and prevent Haemoglobinopathies, including Sickle Cell Disease, affecting tribal population.
Conclusion
With a comprehensive approach that focuses on infrastructure development, economic empowerment, and access to quality education and healthcare, this initiative aims to bridge the critical gaps faced by tribal populations. As these efforts unfold, the commitment to uplift and empower tribal communities will be pivotal in achieving inclusive growth in the country.
