NEW DELHI: Upon discussion, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet gave its approval to the PM-Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), on Wednesday. A budget of Rs 24,100 crore has been agreed upon for its functions across the country.
The scheme is set to be put into implementation across 18 states, which is set to benefit 28,16,000 tribals. The Cabinet has also decided that of the total budget, Rs 15,300 cr will be funded by the Centre and the remaining by states.
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The PM-JANMAN scheme seeks to aim for the comprehensive development of 75 vulnerable tribal communities residing in 18 states and 1 UT, specifically, to provide them with access to quality education, health and quality of life. The scheme aims to develop particularly vulnerable tribal groups who have historically lagged behind on social indicators of education, health and livelihood.
The JANMAN scheme is slated to provide facilities that will bring about quality-of-life improvements for the tribals through housing, road connectivity, piped water, mobile medical units, solar street lighting and mobile towers.
According to government-ordained data, the population of these communities is nearly 28 lakh and have been living in about 22,000 habitations in more than 800 blocks located in 200 districts. Extended efforts are being made by the government to reach out to the PVTGs to provide them access to these quality-of-life improvements that have been kept bereft of the tribals for the past 75 years, owing to lack of accessibility.
The PM-JANMAN scheme had been flagged off at Khunti, Jharkhand, on the birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda on November 17. The occasion was marked with the presence of President Droupadi Murmu, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda; Governor of Jharkhand C. P. Radha Krishnan; Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and MoS Annapurna Devi, alongside Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who attended it virtually.