Center approves PMJUGA scheme for holistic Tribal Development
Government Scheme
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The Union Cabinet, in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held on 18 September 2024, has approved a new scheme, Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PMJUGA), to improve the socio-economic condition of the country's tribal majority villages and aspirational districts. The scheme seeks to utilise the existing central government scheme to achieve the objectives of the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PMJUGA) scheme.
Union Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman proposed the scheme in her 2024-25 Union Budget speech.
Duration and Allocation for the PMJUGA Scheme
The duration of the PMJUGA scheme is five years.
The total allocation for the scheme is Rs.79,156 crore, of which the central government's share will be Rs.56,333 crore, and the State government's share will be Rs. 22,823 crore.
Coverage of the PMJUGA Scheme
- The PMJUGA scheme will be implemented in 549 districts and 2,740 blocks in all tribal majority villages and aspirational districts of 30 States / Union Territories.
- According to the government, the scheme is expected to cover 63,000 villages and benefit more than 5 crore tribal people.
- According to the 2011 census, the tribal population in the country was 10.45 crore.
Goals of the PMJUGA Scheme
The PMJUGA scheme comprises 25 interventions to be implemented by 17 Union Ministries. The task and funds for the concerned ministries will be allocated under the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST) in the next 5 years to achieve the following four goals.
Development of Enabling Infrastructure
- 20 lakh pucca houses to be built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin),
- Electricity connection is to be provided to eligible households under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme,
- Piped drinking water to eligible households under the Jal Jeevan Mission,
- Ayushman Health Card to be issued under the Ayushman Bharat -Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana(AB PM-JAY).
- 25 Lakh LPG connection under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana
- 5000 villages to be connected with a broadband connection through Bharat Net Yojana
- 25000 km of all-weather roads to be constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana,
Economic Empowerment
- The eligible tribal boys and girls will be skilled through the Skill India Mission after the 10th/12th standard.
- The beneficiaries will be provided support to sell their products through Tribal Multipurpose Marketing Centre (TMMC),
- Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, tourism in these areas will be promoted through 1000 homestays. Eligible households will be provided Rs. 5.00 lakhs for the construction of two new rooms, up to Rs. 3.00 lakhs for renovation of existing rooms, and Rs 5 lakh for village community requirements.
- The forest rights of the twenty-two lakh Forest Right Holders (FRA) patta holders will be recognised to secure their forest rights. They will be empowered to maintain and conserve the forests and provide them with sustainable livelihoods through the support of the government scheme.
Access to Good Education
- 1000 Tribal hostels are to be constructed under the Samgra Shiksha Abhiyan to bring the gross enrollment ratio of the tribal students to the national level.
Healthy Living
- Measures to be taken to reduce the infant mortality rates (IMR) and maternal mortality rates (MMR) in these blocks to the national level.
- Coverage of these remote areas under the Universal Immunisation scheme through mobile medical units in areas where the sub-centre is more than 10 km in plain areas and 5 km in the Hilly areas.
