Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan | Key Features and Initiatives

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PMJUGA) with a total outlay of Rs. 79,156 crore. This ambitious scheme aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of tribal communities across India by addressing critical gaps in infrastructure, education, health, and livelihoods.

Key Highlights of Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan

• The scheme will benefit over 5 crore tribal people across approximately 63,000 villages.
• It covers 549 districts in 30 States/UTs, targeting tribal-majority villages and aspirational districts.
• PMJUGA focuses on saturation coverage, ensuring that all tribal families in identified villages receive benefits from various government schemes.
• India has a Scheduled Tribe (ST) population of 10.45 crore (2011 Census) with over 705 tribal communities living in remote areas.
• The Abhiyan aims to improve critical services such as health, education, livelihoods, and social infrastructure through inter-ministerial convergence.
• Tribal villages will be mapped on the PM Gati Shakti Portal, identifying scheme-specific gaps for targeted interventions.
• The initiative is inspired by the success of Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN).

Objectives of the Mission

The Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan seeks to achieve:

1. Developing Enabling Infrastructure
   • Housing and Basic Amenities: Provide pucca houses, clean drinking water, electricity, and Ayushman Bharat cards for healthcare.
   • Village Infrastructure: Improve roads, mobile and internet connectivity, and enhance facilities for health, nutrition, and education.
2. Promotion of Economic Empowerment
   • Skill Development and Livelihoods: Provide training for entrepreneurship, self-employment, and long-term skill courses.
   • Support for agriculture, animal husbandry, and fishing for FRA Patta holders.
   • Marketing assistance through Tribal Multipurpose Marketing Centres.
3. Universal Access to Quality Education
   • Increase Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in schools and higher education.
   • Establish tribal hostels at district and block levels to make education accessible and affordable.
4. Healthy Lives and Dignified Ageing
   • Enhance access to quality healthcare, reduce infant and maternal mortality rates, and improve immunization coverage through Mobile Medical Units (MMUs).

Implementation Framework

• The mission involves 25 interventions implemented by 17 line ministries.
• Ministries will execute their schemes within a 5-year timeline under the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST).
• Each ministry has specific targets to address critical gaps in tribal development.

Mission Targets by Ministry

(Other ministries implement schemes in water supply, renewable energy, nutrition, digital initiatives, agriculture, fisheries, livestock, and capacity building.)

Innovative Schemes under PMJUGA

Tribal Home Stay Program

• Promote 1,000 home stays under the Swadesh Darshan program.
• Focus on tourism-led livelihoods for tribal communities.
• Funding for households:
  • Up to ₹5 lakh for constructing two new rooms.
  • Up to ₹3 lakh for renovating existing rooms.
  • Additional ₹5 lakh for village-level community needs.

Sustainable Livelihood for Forest Right Holders (FRA)

• Covers 22 lakh FRA Patta holders in forest areas.
• Provides support through ministries of Tribal Affairs, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, and Panchayati Raj.
• Focuses on livelihood promotion, forest conservation, and faster FRA claim processing.

Education & Residential School Infrastructure

• Upgrades Ashram schools, tribal hostels, and residential schools.
• Aligns with PM-Shri standards to improve learning environments.
• Aims to enhance enrollment, retention, and quality of education.

Healthcare Initiatives for Sickle Cell Disease

• Centres of Competence (CoC) established in AIIMS and premier institutes in affected states.
• Provide affordable diagnostics, pre-natal screening, and research support.
• Each CoC has a setup cost of ₹6 crore.

Tribal Multipurpose Marketing Centres (TMMCs)

• 100 centres to improve marketing, branding, and sale of tribal products.
• Provide aggregation, value addition, and fair pricing for tribal producers.
• Help reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen local economies.

Conclusion

The Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan is a comprehensive mission to transform the socio-economic landscape of India’s tribal communities. Through infrastructure development, skill training, healthcare, education, and livelihood promotion, PMJUGA seeks to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth for over 5 crore tribal beneficiaries. By leveraging convergence among 17 ministries, the mission represents a significant step towards empowering tribal populations and improving quality of life in remote and underserved regions of India.

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