UPLIFTING
THE SCHEDULED TRIBES
The Scheduled Tribes
(STs) in India number about 67.76 million. They constitute 8.08
per cent of the country’s population, living mainly in forest
and hilly regions. The essential characteristics of these communities
are primitive traits, geographical isolation, distinctive culture
and shyness of contact with outsiders. Educational and economic
backwardness is also their common feature. As a result, the ST
population suffers from illiteracy, poverty and ill health by
and large. To ameliorate their condition, the Constitution of
India has several special provisions for promoting educational
and economic interests of the Scheduled Tribes and to protect
them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.
The Tribal Sub-Plan
strategy, adopted at the beginning of the Fifth Five Year Plan,
seeks to ensure adequate flow of funds for tribal development
from the State Plan allocations, schemes and programmes of Central
Ministries and Departments besides financial and developmental
institutions, in proportion to their population. The Ministry
of Tribal Affairs is also implementing several schemes and programmes
for the benefits of the STs.
Special Assistance
Special Central assistance
is given to the States and Union Territories (UTs) to supplement
their efforts in tribal development through the Tribal Sub-Plan,
basically meant for family-oriented income-generating schemes
in various sectors. Grants are also given to States/UTs under
the first proviso to article 275(1) of the Constitution to meet
the costs of projects for tribal development and for raising the
level of administration of Scheduled Area therein at par with
the rest of the State/UT. A part of the funds is utilised for
setting up of residential schools to provide quality education
to the tribal students.
Primitive Groups
Based on the pre-agricultural
level of technology, low level of literacy, declining or stagnant
population, 75 tribal communities in 17 States/UTs have been identified
and categorised as Primitive Tribal Groups. A new Central sector
scheme has been introduced for an all-round development of these
groups from 1998-99 under which financial assistance is made available
to the Integrated Tribal Development Projects, Tribal Research
Institutes and Non-Governmental Organisations for undertaking
projects and activities not covered by any of the existing schemes.
Fourteen Tribal Research
Institutes (TRIs) have been set up in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan,
Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura. They
are engaged in providing planning inputs to the State governments,
conducting research and evaluation studies, collection of data,
codification of customary laws and the conduct of training, seminars
and workshops. Some of these Institutes are also having museums
exhibiting tribal artifacts.
A scheme for tribal
girls’ hostel was started in the Third Five Year Plan with the
aim of providing residential facilities to them while pursuing
education. The Centre provides assistance to the tune of 50 per
cent cost of construction to the States, and cent per cent to
the Union Territories under the scheme. The boys’ hostel scheme
was started in 1989-90 under the same pattern as the girls hostels.
The Central sector
vocational training scheme for tribal areas introduced in 1992-93
aims at developing the skills of the tribal youth for providing
them employment or self-employment opportunities by setting up
of Vocational Training Centers (VTCs).
Cooperatives
The Tribal Cooperative
Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) was set up
by the Centre in 1987 with the prime objective of providing marketing
assistance and remunerative prices to the STs for their minor
forest and surplus agricultural produce and to wean them away
from exploitative private traders and middlemen.
A Central sector
scheme of grain banks in tribal villages was launched in 1996-97.
The scheme provides for food security to prevent starvation in
remote and backward tribal areas. Funds are channelised through
the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India
(TRIFED). So far, 534 Grain Banks have been set up in the country
till 2001.
The Ministry gives
grant-in-aid to voluntary organisations working for the welfare
of the scheduled tribes for projects like residential schools,
hostels, medical units, computer training units, shorthand and
typing training units, balwadis/ creches, libraries and audio-visual
units.
Scholarships
Students of Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes get financial assistance for pursuing
recognised post–matriculation courses including professional,
technical as well as non-professional and non-technical courses
at various levels, correspondence courses and distance education.
The scheme is implemented by the State governments and UT administrations
which receive 100 per cent financial assistance over and above
the committed liability.
The Ministry of Tribal
Affairs provides National Overseas Scholarship for higher studies
abroad, book banks, coaching and upgradation of merit for the
benefit of ST students.
Since the formation
of the Ministry, efforts have been directed to improve social
and developmental indices of the Scheduled Tribes to achieve better
evaluation of the existing situation, bring about focused attention
on the felt needs of the Scheduled Tribes and monitor the flow
of funds to the Tribal Sub-Plan from State government/UTs, Central
Ministries and Departments. Close monitoring of the implementation
of the schemes and programmes for the welfare and the development
of STs has helped improve their lot.
