PM Modi to launch tribal groups development mission worth Rs 24,000 Cr on 15 Nov

In a huge step to empower tribals, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch PM PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) Development Mission on Nov15th on the occasion of ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’.In the budget of 2023-24, the launch of the Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission was announced to improve the socio-economic conditions of the PVTGs. There are 75 PVTGs in 18 States & UTs living in 22,544 villages (220 districts) having a population of around 28 lakhs.“These tribes stay in scattered, remote & inaccessible habitations, often in forest areas and hence a mission is planned to saturate PVTG families and habitations with basic facilities such as road and telecom connectivity, electricity, safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition and sustainable livelihood opportunities,” a senior official said. The mission will be implemented through the convergence of 11 interventions of nine ministries for instance, under PMGSY, PMGAY, Jal Jeevan Mission etc, he said, adding that some scheme norms will be relaxed to cover these remote habitations.For implementing targeted schemes for socially and economically backwards scheduled tribes, the centre in budget 2023-24 has announced the Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission.The mission is aimed to improve socio-economic conditions of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) by saturating 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, Minister of State for the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment A. Narayanaswamy said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha in August this year.The Ministry of Education has also announced earlier this week to celebrate the ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’ in schools as well as skill and higher educational institutions across the country in a grand manner, according to officials.The contributions of brave tribal freedom fighters like Birsa Munda and others will be highlighted during these celebrations, they said.Last year, the Centre had declared November 15 as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’ dedicated to the memory of tribal freedom fighters. November 15 is the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda who is revered as Bhagwan by tribal communities across the country.