Budget 2023 | Five things for tribal welfare the Finance Minister announced

Representative image. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

In her Union Budget 2023 speech on Wednesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Budget lays the foundation for an inclusive growth in the Amrit Kaal, the 25 years till India@100, i.e. 2047, and towards that end, it launched seven priority approach, together called the 'Saptarishi'. Keeping that in consideration, the FM announced some targeted schemes for tribal welfare, spanning education, drinking water and sanitation. This inclusion, as much as it is needed, is being seen as sops ahead of the ahead of the 2024 general election.

- Rs 15,000 cr to be spent under PM PVTG Development Mission to improve socio-economic conditions of particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs)

-Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission to be launched

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-38,800 teachers to be recruited for 740 Eklavya Schools#AmritKaalBudget pic.twitter.com/NuLxDJXC8i

— NSitharamanOffice (@nsitharamanoffc) February 1, 2023

Here is a look at the various announcements:

"The Budget adopts the following seven priorities. They complement
each other and act as the ‘Saptarishi’ guiding us through the Amrit Kaal."

1) Inclusive Development
2) Reaching the Last Mile
3) Infrastructure and Investment
4) Unleashing the Potential
5) Green Growth
6) Youth Power
7) Financial Sector

Among these, the first two points hopes to cater to the marginalised and deprived tribal communities

1. Saptarishi

a) Inclusive Development
The FM said, "The government’s philosophy of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas has facilitated inclusive development covering in specific, farmers, women, youth, OBCs, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, divyangjan (persons with disabilities) and economically weaker sections, and overall priority for the underprivileged (vanchiton ko variyata). There has also been a sustained focus on Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and the North-East. This Budget builds on those efforts."

b) Reaching the Last Mile
"Prime Minister (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee’s government had formed the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Department of Development of North-Eastern Region. To provide a sharper focus to the objective of ‘reaching the last mile’, our government has formed the ministries of AYUSH, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Skill Development, Jal Shakti and Cooperation."

2. PM VIshwakarma KAushal Samman (PM VIKAS)

"For centuries, traditional artisans and craftspeople, who work with their hands using tools, have brought renown for India. They are generally referred to as Vishwakarma. The art and handicraft created by them represents the true spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat. For the first time, a package of assistance for them has been conceptualized. The new scheme will enable them to improve the quality, scale and reach of their products, integrating them with the MSME value chain. The components of the scheme will include not only financial support but also access to advanced skill training, knowledge of modern digital techniques and efficient green technologies, brand promotion, linkage with local and global markets, digital payments, and social security. This will greatly benefit the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, women and people belonging to the weaker sections."

3. Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission

Sickle cell disease (SCD), an inherited blood disorder, remains a public-health challenge in the country. India is estimated to have the second-highest burden of SCD after Nigeria, with an estimated 18 million SCT and 1.4 million SCD patients are found among the tribal population. According to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), 1 in 86 births among the scheduled tribe has SCD.

"A Mission to eliminate Sickle Cell Anaemia by 2047 will be launched. It will entail awareness creation, universal screening of 7 crore people in the age group of 0-40 years in affected tribal areas, and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries and state governments."

4. Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission
"To improve socio-economic conditions of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission will be launched. This will saturate 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. An amount of
Rs 15,000 crore will be made available to implement the Mission in the next three years under the Development Action Plan for the Scheduled Tribes."

5. Eklavya Model Residential Schools

The tribal communities have been at a doubly disadvantaged situation in the last three years, since the pandemic, the handful of children who went to schools lost out on education owing to COVID-19, the digital dissemination of education further widened the social rift between the haves and have-nots, but even from a time before the pandemic, there were many reasons for nil to disproportionate access and dissemination of education in tribal-heavy areas, either there are no schools, or no teachers even if there is a school, girls drop out of schools to take care of their family, children are made to work owing to poverty than go to schools, among other reasons.

In her budget, the FM said: "In the next three years, centre will recruit 38,800 teachers and support staff for the 740 Eklavya Model Residential Schools, serving 3.5 lakh tribal students."