PM to launch Rs 24k cr scheme for empowermentof tribals on Nov 15

In a huge step to empower tribals, Prime Minister Narendra Modi to launch PM PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) Development Mission Worth Rs 24,000 Crore For Tribals 

PTI, 13 November 2023, New Delhi, : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a Rs 24,000-crore scheme aimed at holistic development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) on the occasion of 'Janjatiya Gaurav Divas' on November 15 in Jharkhand, his office said on Monday.

    He will also launch the 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, release the 15th instalment of PM-KISAN, and inaugurate or lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects in the state.

    Modi will visit Jharkhand on November 14th-15, a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office said.

     On November 15, at around 9:30 AM, the Prime Minister will visit Bhagwan Birsa Munda Memorial Park cum Freedom Fighter Museum in Ranchi. Thereafter, he will reach Ulihatu Village, the birthplace of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, where he will pay floral tribute at the statue of Bhagwan Birsa Munda.

     Modi would be the first PM to visit Ulihatu Village, the birthplace of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, the statement said.

    Prime Minister Modi will participate in a programme marking the celebration of third Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, 2023 at around 11:30 AM in Khunti.

     During the programme, the prime minister will launch 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra' and Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups Mission. He will also release the 15th instalment of PM-KISAN and inaugurate, dedicate to nation and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects in Jharkhand, the statement said.

     It has been the constant endeavour of the prime minister to attain saturation of flagship schemes of the government through ensuring that the benefits of these schemes reach all targeted beneficiaries in a time bound manner, the statement said.

    In a major step towards attainment of this aim of saturation of schemes, Prime Minister Modi will launch ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ on the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.

     The focus of the Yatra will be on reaching out to people and create awareness and providing benefits of welfare schemes like sanitation facilities, essential financial services, electricity connections, access to LPG cylinders, housing for the poor, food security, proper nutrition, reliable healthcare, clean drinking water, etc.

     Enrolment of potential beneficiaries will be done through details ascertained during the Yatra, the statement said.

    The prime minister will flag off IEC (Information, Education and Communication) vans in Khunti, Jharkhand, marking the launch of ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’.

     The yatra will start from districts with significant tribal population initially and by January 25, 2024, will cover all districts across the country.

     During the programme, the prime minister will also launch the first-of-its-kind initiative - ‘Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM PVTG) Mission’. There are 75 PVTGs in 18 states & UTs living in 22,544 villages (220 districts) having a population of around 28 lakhs.

     These tribes stay in scattered, remote and inaccessible habitations, often in forest areas and hence a mission with budget of about Rs 24,000 crore, is planned to saturate PVTG families and habitations with basic facilities such as road and telecom connectivity, electricity, safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition and sustainable livelihood opportunities, the statement said.

     In addition, separately, saturation will be ensured for PMJAY, Sickle Cell Disease Elimination, TB Elimination, 100% immunisation, PM Surakshit Matritva Yojana, PM Matru Vandana Yojana, PM Poshan, PM Jan Dhan Yojana etc., it said.

     In a step that will showcase yet another example of commitment of the Prime Minister towards welfare of farmers, the 15th instalment amount totalling to about Rs. 18,000 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), will be released through direct benefits transfer to more than eight crore beneficiaries.

    Under the scheme, till now, more than Rs. 2.62 lakh crores have been transferred to farmers' accounts in 14 instalments.

     The prime minister will inaugurate, dedicate to nation and lay the foundation stone of projects worth around Rs. 7200 crore in multiple sectors like rail, road, education, coal, petroleum and natural gas, the statement said.

    The projects whose foundation stones will be laid by the prime minister include the four-laning of 52-km stretch of Mahagama - Hansdiha section of NH133; four-laning of 45-km stretch of Basukinath-Deoghar section of NH114 A; KDH-Purnadih Coal Handling Plant; new academic and administrative building of IIIT Ranchi.

     The projects that will be inaugurated and dedicated to nation include new campus of IIM Ranchi; new Hostel of IIT ISM Dhanbad; Petroleum Oil and Lubricants (POL) depot in Bokaro; several railway projects viz doubling of Hatia-Pakra Section, Talgaria - Bokaro Section, and Jarangdih-Patratu section.

     Further, the achievement of 100 per cent of Railway Electrification in Jharkhand will also be dedicated to the nation by the prime minister, the statement said.

     The scheme -- PVTG Development Mission -- will be a huge step towards the empowerment of tribals, official sources said, adding that this will be a first-of-its-kind initiative.

     In the 2023-24 budget, the scheme was announced for improving socioeconomic conditions of the PVTG.

    The mission will be implemented through the convergence of 11 interventions of nine ministries under a host of existing welfare programmes covering rural roads, rural housing and drinking. Some scheme norms will be relaxed to cover these remote habitations, officials said.