AUG 21: The Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Shri Durgadas Uikey, today informed the Lok Sabha about the initiatives taken by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to strengthen welfare and development programs for Scheduled Tribes across the country. He was replying to an un-starred question raised by Shri Brijkmohan Agarwal.
The Minister outlined that the Ministry functions through both autonomous organizations—including the Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) and the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS)—and non-autonomous bodies such as the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).
Highlighting the role of NSTFDC, Shri Uikey shared that the corporation has been implementing multiple schemes such as Term Loan, Adivasi Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana (AMSY), Adivasi Shiksha Rinn Yojana (ASRY) and Micro Credit Scheme (MCS). Over the last five financial years, thousands of beneficiaries across states including Chhattisgarh have availed support. Detailed state-wise fund disbursement and beneficiary data was placed on record, along with success stories of tribal entrepreneurs who have benefitted from NSTFDC schemes.
On the education front, the Minister informed that as on 31 July 2025, the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) is monitoring 485 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) across the country. Student enrolment in these schools has shown steady growth—from 1.13 lakh in 2022-23 to over 1.50 lakh in 2025-26. States such as Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Telangana continue to report some of the highest enrolment figures, with significant progress also recorded in Jammu & Kashmir and the North-Eastern states.
The Minister emphasized that the Government remains committed to the empowerment of Scheduled Tribes through education, financial inclusion, livelihood support, and institutional strengthening, in line with the vision of an inclusive and developed India.
