Under Project Aakansha, Tata Steel is focussing on Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in the vicinity of its operations, particularly Jharkhand where three tribes indigenous to the Dalma Hills and Patamda reside. A total of nine PVTGs live within the influences of Tata Steel’s operations.The project team had found that education had barely touched these tribes. Tata Steel’s Tribal Cultural Society (TCS) therefore took on the daunting task of improving access to education through ‘Project Aakanksha’ launched in 2012.
Aimed at transforming the lives of the PVTG children ever since, Team TCS has worked tirelessly to make this project a success.An official of Tata Steel said that continuous efforts by TCS and the schools have brought about a new dawn. As a result, the 234 children (age between five to eight years) have not only adjusted to life in a residential school but have also learned Hindi, a link to the external world.These children who were earlier very shy, are now confident, and have picked up ways of life that will allow them to integrate with mainstream society. They are performing well academically and over time would be able to share the message of development and change within their society.Tribals constitute 8.14% of the total population of the country, and cover about 15% of the country’s area.
The fact that tribal people need special attention to improve their social, economic development. Whether it is maternal and child mortality, size of agricultural holdings or access to drinking water and electricity, tribal communities lag far behind the general population. A total of 52% of Tribal population is Below Poverty line and what is astounding is that 54% tribal’s have no access to economic assets such as communication and transport.