New Delhi
On Wednesday, the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan with a budget of Rs 79,156 crore. This ambitious program aims to enhance the socio-economic conditions of tribal communities by targeting 63,000 tribal-majority villages and aspirational districts, benefiting over five crore tribal individuals across 549 districts and 2,740 blocks.
India’s tribal population, according to the 2011 census, stands at 10.45 crore, encompassing more than 705 distinct tribal communities living in remote areas. The Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan is designed to address gaps in social infrastructure, health, education, and livelihoods through various government schemes, building on the successes of the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PMJANMAN).
The initiative includes 25 key interventions across 17 ministries. It will focus on 22 lakh forest rights holders, improving infrastructure for government residential and tribal schools, and setting up 100 Tribal Multipurpose Marketing Centres (TMMCs) to boost the marketing of tribal products. These TMMCs will enhance marketing infrastructure, branding, and packaging, ensuring fair prices and reducing post-harvest losses.
The program also aims to expedite the processing of forest rights claims, train stakeholders, and advance facilities for diagnosing sickle cell disease in affected states. This comprehensive effort reflects lessons learned from previous initiatives to foster holistic and sustainable development in tribal regions.
