The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal ministry for the overall policy, planning and coordination of programmes for the development of the Scheduled Tribes (STs). The programmes and schemes of the ministry are intended to support and supplement, through financial assistance, the efforts of other central ministries, state governments and voluntary organisations, and to fill critical gaps taking into account the needs of the ST. The launch of Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana, single window system for obtaining market information on minor forest produces, setting up of 184 Eklavya model residential schools, preparation of tribal map of India and launch of MFPNET Portal of Trifed were some of the important initiatives of the ministry in the last year. A roundup of the efforts:
Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana
The union government in the current financial year 2014-15, has introduced Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojna (VKY) as central sector scheme with an allocation of Rs100 crore. The central government proposes to replicate the intervention with special focus on the qualitative and sustainable employment for tribal families, bridging infrastructure gaps with focus on quality, improving the quality of education and health and improving the quality of life in tribal areas.
The scheme has been launched on a pilot basis in one block each in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Under the scheme, the centre will provide Rs10 crore for each block for the development of various facilities for the tribals.
Tech-update
A single window system for obtaining information on Minor Forest Produces (MFPs) through toll free call service number 1800-180-1551 has been inaugurated where market rates information can be provided over phone to tribals and others on asking.
TRIFED initiated a dialogue with Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) which is already running Kisan Call Centres (KCC) for disseminating market information about agricultural products. KCCs are available at Mumbai, Kanpur, Kochi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Jammu, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Indore, Kolkata, Patna, Coimbatore, Kolkata (North East States), Pune, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jabalpur and Bhubaneshwar. With the operationalisation of this service, tribals can call from anywhere and enquire about MSP of different items, state implementing agencies for MSP for MFP and market price of MFPs in different markets.
Residential schools
In order to facilitate infrastructure for provision of quality education to the tribals, the ministry has sanctioned 184 Eklavya model residential schools. These schools are intended to be equipped with requisite infrastructure and conducive environment for ensuring the delivery of quality education among the tribals. Plus orders have been issued to prepare detailed tribal map of India which will help the government while implementing different programmes.
Welfare schemes
The welfare of tribal girls and students is one of the focus areas of the ministry. An outlay of Rs473 lakh has been proposed for 2014-15 for various tribal welfare programmes which include for assistance of ST girls to reduce the burden of marriage expenses and financial assistance to traditional tribal healers. Educational assistance to Scheduled Tribe children has also been given high priority.
Web portal
Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram inaugurated the new MFPnet portal of tribal co-operative marketing development federation of India. The portal is designed to act as an adjunct and a catalyst for implementing the scheme of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce (MFP). It is a one-stop destination for all information on MFPs and facilitate stakeholders in MFP trade and users to take decisions backed by requisite information.
A comprehensive strategy
A one-day consultation meeting with the ministers of tribal welfare departments of states/UTs was organised by Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs in Delhi. The consultation was aimed to provide a platform for the states to initiate a meaningful dialogue for better planning, coordination and implementation of the programmes.
Centre of excellence
The in-principle approval for recognising Visva-Bharati in Santiniketan as the centre of excellence in the filed of tribal language and literature has been given. A proposal to establish a National Research Centre in the Tribal Research Institute, Bhubaneswar to promote research activities has also been approved.