Budget 2023: What measures have been announced for tribal welfare

From recruiting teachers for Eklavya schools to providing safe housing to particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), here is what Nirmala Sitharaman announced for Scheduled Tribes in the Budget.

An amount of Rs 15,000 crore will be made available to implement the Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission in the next three years under the Development Action Plan for the Scheduled Tribes (Express photo by Abhisek Saha)

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In her Union Budget 2023 speech on Wednesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced some targeted schemes for tribal welfare, ranging from better education to clean drinking water to sanitation. Here is a look at the various announcements.

– Rs 15,000 cr to be spent under PM PVTG Development Mission to improve socio-economic conditions of particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs)

-Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission to be launched

-38,800 teachers to be recruited for 740 Eklavya Schools#AmritKaalBudget pic.twitter.com/NuLxDJXC8i

— NSitharamanOffice (@nsitharamanoffc) February 1, 2023

Facilities for Eklavya Schools

Sitharaman said, “In the next three years, the Centre will recruit 38,800 teachers and support staff for the 740 Eklavya Model Residential Schools, serving 3.5 lakh tribal students.”

Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) were set up in 1997-98 to impart quality education to ST children in remote areas. According to the website of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, “Each school has a capacity of 480 students, catering to students from Class VI to XII.” In addition, wherever the density of ST population “is higher in identified Sub-Districts (90% or more), it is proposed to set up Eklavya Model Day Boarding School (EMDBS) on an experimental basis for providing additional scope for ST Students seeking to avail school education without residential facility.”

Eliminating Sickle Cell Anaemia

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The Finance Minister said in her Budget speech, “A Mission to eliminate Sickle Cell Anaemia by 2047 will be launched. It will entail awareness creation, universal screening of 7 crore people in the age group of 0-40 years in affected tribal areas, and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries and state governments.”

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Sickle Cell Anaemia is a genetic condition that causes Red Blood Cells to deform and break down. According to the Tribal Affairs Ministry website, “Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is widespread among the tribal population in India where about 1 in 86 births among STs have SCD.”

Focus on PVTGs

Sitharaman said, “To improve socio-economic conditions of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission will be launched. This will saturate PVTG families and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.”

An amount of Rs 15,000 crore will be made available to implement the Mission in the next three years under the Development Action Plan for the Scheduled Tribes, she added.

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According to a Tribal Affairs Ministry letter to various states in 2015, “PVTGs constitute the most vulnerable section among tribals and inhabit isolated, remote and difficult areas in small and scattered hamlets/ habitats.”

The letter adds, “There are tribal communities who have declining or stagnant population, low level of literacy, pre-agricultural level of technology and are economically backward. 75 such groups of tribals in 18 States and 1 Union Territory have been identified and categorised as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).”

Union Budget 2023: All you need to know