The Vice-President of India, C. P. Radhakrishnan, was recently briefed by Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and senior officials about the Ministry’s initiatives aimed at empowering tribal communities. The meeting at Parliament House showcased a wide range of programmes focusing on education, health, livelihoods, and rights of tribal populations across India. The Vice-President applauded the Ministry for significantly increasing its budget and called for greater academic support, stronger links between schools and universities, and urgent health interventions—especially in tribal-dominated areas.
One of the most notable developments discussed was the three-fold rise in the Ministry’s budget outlay over the last eleven years. The Ministry’s allocation has increased from around ₹4,500 crore in 2014-15 to nearly ₹15,000 crore in 2025-26.
This rise reflects the government’s commitment to intensify efforts in tribal development, support for education, village infrastructure, and the well-being of vulnerable tribal groups.
Education remains a cornerstone of the Ministry’s tribal upliftment strategy. The government has expanded the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) network to deliver quality education in remote tribal areas.
As of mid-2025,
The Vice-President stressed the importance of university-school partnerships to help tribal students transition smoothly into higher education, including global opportunities. He also urged for continuous academic support and monitoring to reduce school dropout rates among tribal children.
The Ministry’s approach spans multiple sectors and is driven by flagship schemes that aim to uplift all aspects of tribal life.
The Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan targets Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) by ensuring their access to basic services such as education, healthcare, clean water, and housing.
This scheme focuses on infrastructure saturation in tribal villages. It works across ministries to ensure every tribal village has roads, schools, electricity, and digital connectivity.
A unique initiative to build institutional capacity and leadership among tribal youth and officials, equipping them with administrative and entrepreneurial skills.
A major health challenge in tribal regions is the high incidence of sickle cell anaemia—a genetic blood disorder that affects many tribal populations.
The Ministry has launched focused health campaigns to,
The Vice-President appreciated these efforts and stressed the need for sustained focus on tribal health to close the critical gap in medical care access.
The Ministry is also reviving tribal art, culture, and heritage, while helping communities build sustainable livelihoods. Traditional skills such as handicrafts, forest produce collection, and tribal entrepreneurship are being supported through financial aid and training.
These efforts aim to preserve tribal identity while boosting income levels and economic independence.
Despite major gains, several challenges remain,
The Vice-President noted that only when the benefits of welfare programmes are fully realised by tribal communities can the vision of a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) be achieved.
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