Correct Answer :   Tribal Group

In continuation of its tribal outreach ahead of Lok Sabha elections, the government will release the first instalment for pucca houses amounting to Rs 540 crore to one lakh beneficiaries from particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) on Monday (15th Jan 2024).

The money will be credited directly in their Jan Dhan accounts.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually interact with the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), the flagship central scheme launched in November 2023 for socio-economic welfare of PVTGs, spread across 18 states and Union Territories.

Simultaneously, in 100 districts, officials from both the Centre and the respective state governments will distribute benefits under the package to gram panchayats and village chiefs, said a statement issued by the Tribal Affairs Ministry on Sunday (14th Jan 2024).

In the two months since the launch of the scheme on November 15, the government has sanctioned projects worth over Rs 4,700 crore through nine ministries under the PM-JANMAN package, said Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda.

PM-JANMAN, with a budget of Rs 24,104 crore, focuses on 11 critical interventions and is aimed at saturating PVTG households and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, electricity, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Munda, who will join the event from Bishnupur in Jharkhand’s Gumla district, said in order to reach out to every household, more than 7,000 camps were organised in PVTG habitations of all 188 districts, to facilitate their Aadhaar cards, Jan Dhan accounts, Ayushman Bharat cards, and enable registration for different schemes under the mission.

During these camps held over the last one month, 72,000 new Aadhaar cards were made, more than 80,000 Ayushman Bharat cards were made, besides ration cards and Kisan Credit Cards, said the ministry statement. Many habitations and people were completely left out of the benefits of flagship schemes, because of remoteness of locations and lack of road and digital connectivity, it said.

Under the PM-JANMAN mission, the government has already sanctioned the building of 1,207-km roads in PVTG habitations; approved schemes to connect all left out PVTG households to the PM Jal Jeevan Mission; and sanctioned 916 anganwadi centres, 816 of which are expected to be operational by the end of this month.

It was in 1960-61 that the Dhebar Commission identified disparities among Scheduled Tribes, leading to the creation of the Primitive Tribal Groups (PTG) category. In 2006, this category was renamed Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)..

Source : Indian Express