Context: The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs is now working to develop 36,428 villages with at least 50% tribal population and 500 STs across the country into ‘model tribal’ villages.

• These efforts were part of the existing Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS) which has now been renamed to the Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna (PMAAGY).

About Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna (PMAAGY)

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs 

• Aim: To mitigate gaps and provide basic infrastructure in villages with the significant tribal populations in convergence with funds available under different schemes in Central Scheduled Tribe Component.

• Sectors covered: The scheme envisions to mitigate gaps in prominent 8 sectors of development namely Road connectivity (Internal and Inter village /block); Telecom connectivity (Mobile /internet); School; Anganwadi Centres; Health Sub-Centre; Drinking water facility; Solid waste management and Drainage

• Coverage: The scheme is envisaged to cover 36,428 villages having at least 50% ST population and 500 STs across States / UTs with notified STs during the period.

• Planning: It includes preparing Village Development Plan based on the needs, potential, and aspirations.

• Focus group: It also includes maximizing the coverage of individual/family benefit schemes of the Central / State Governments and improving the infrastructure in vital sectors like health, education, connectivity and livelihood.

Components of the scheme: The objective of this scheme is to achieve integrated socio-economic development of selected villages through a convergence approach. It includes the following components:

• Preparing Village Development Plan based on the needs, potential, and aspirations;

• Maximizing the coverage of individual/family benefit schemes of the Central/State Governments;

• Improving the infrastructure in vital sectors like health, education, connectivity and livelihood.

Other Government Initiatives for Tribals

• Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana (VKY) aims at creating enabling environment for the need-based and outcome-oriented holistic development of the tribal people.

• Van Dhan Scheme: The scheme will be implemented through the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED as Nodal Agency at the National Level.

• At the State level, the State Nodal Agency for MFPs and the District collectors are envisaged to play a pivot role in scheme implementation at the grassroots level.

• Locally the Kendras are proposed to be managed by a Managing Committee (an SHG) consisting of representatives of Van Dhan SHGs in the cluster.