Socio-Economic Development and Welfare of Scheduled Tribes

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs briefed the Rajya Sabha on the status of major schemes for Scheduled Tribes (STs) covering the last five financial years. Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) have 479 functional schools against a target of 728, with cumulative enrolment rising from 92,075 (2020‑21) to 138,336 (2024‑25). Pre‑Matric and Post‑Matric scholarships continue to provide financial assistance, with funds and beneficiaries detailed in Annexures II and III. The PM‑JANMAN programme, launched on 15‑Nov‑2023, funds Multi‑Purpose Centres and Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) for PVTGs, with 540 VDVKs benefitting 46,042 persons (Annexure V). Additional schemes include PMJVM‑VDVKs (4,172 centres, 12,48,067 beneficiaries), development of PVTGs, Article 275(1) grants, NSTFDC concessional loans, and grants to NGOs and Tribal Research Institutes. An online monitoring system (stcmis.gov.in) tracks DAPST fund allocations and expenditures.