Replying to an un-starred question of Shri Govindbhai Laljibhai Dholakia , the Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Shri Durgadas Uikey stated in a written reply in Rajya Sabha that Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya MahaAbhiyaN (PM JANMAN) has been launched for socio-economic development of 75 PVTG communities residing in 18 states and one UT including Siddi community in Gujarat. The mission aims to provide basic facilities to improve their socio-economic conditions such as safe housing, clean drinking water and improved access to education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, electrification of unelectrified households and sustainable livelihood opportunities in 3 years. These objectives are being met through 11 interventions implemented by 9-line Ministries. PM JANMAN has total budgetary outlay of ₹24,104 Cr (Central share: ₹15336 Cr and State share: ₹8768 Cr).

Prior to launch of PMJANMAN, for development of PVTGs including Siddi community in Gujarat, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs was implementing scheme of “Development of PVTGs” wherein funds were provided to the concerned State Government / UT on the basis of their proposals for Conservation cum Development (CCD) plans. These were to fill gaps in infrastructure and were demand driven. With the introduction of PMJANMAN Scheme the Development of PVTG Scheme has been discontinued and Ministry only provided committed liabilities till March 2025.

With reference to the Siddi community in Gujarat, the Siddi community is mostly settled in Talala taluka of Gir Somnath district of Gujarat state. Siddi community has been covered under Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) Adimjuth community. According to the survey of Siddi community in Gujarat, there is a total population of 12959. For the overall development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) Adimjuth community, “MukhyamantriAdimjuth Sarvangi Utkarsh Yojana” has been implemented by the Gujarat Government since 2013. The scheme provides basic facilities including individual and community development works. In which individual works include housing, employment and community development works like roads, Anganwadi construction, health, education, milk house, multipurpose utility center, electrification, eco-tourism.

The amount of funds allocated for this purpose in the last five years is Rs.1490.83 lacs by the state government of Gujarat under Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) MukhyamantriAdimjuthSarvangi Utkarsh Yojana. The details of which are as follows:

Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing various schemes/programmes for the welfare and development of the Scheduled Tribes (STs) including the Siddi tribal community. Details of major schemes/programmes implemented by the Ministry are given at Annexure.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India under the Centrally Sponsored scheme 'Support to Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs)' extends financial support to 29 Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) in States/Union Territories (UTs) based on the Annual Action Plan submitted by the States/UTs subject to the approval of the Apex Committee chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Under the Scheme, proposals relating to infrastructural needs, research & documentation activities and training & capacity building programmes, organization of tribal festivals, yatras for promotion of unique cultural heritage and tourism andorganisation of exchange visits by tribals are organised so that their cultural practices, languages and ritual are preserved and disseminated.

Tribal Research Institute (TRI), Gujarat and in coordination with other relevant stakeholders, has undertaken significant initiatives to promote the traditional art and culture of the Siddi community.

Annexure

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) and part (b) of the Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 463 for 23.07.2025 by Shri GovindbhaiLaljibhai Dholakia regarding “Steps taken for the welfare of Siddi tribe”

Brief details of major schemes/programmes being implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in the country:

DhartiAabaJanjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan: Hon'ble PM launched DhartiAabaJanjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan on 2nd October, 2024. The Abhiyan comprises of 25 interventions implemented by 17-line Ministries and aims to saturate infrastructural gaps in 63,843 villages, improve access to health, education, Anganwadi facilities and providing livelihood opportunities benefiting more than 5 crore tribals in 549 districts and 2,911 blocks in 30 States/UTs in 5 years. The Abhiyan has total budgetary outlay of Rs.79,156 Cr (Central share: ₹56,333 Cr and State share: ₹22,823 Cr).

Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN): Government has launched Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) on 15th November 2023, which is celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas. The mission with financial outlay of around Rs.24,000 Crore aims to saturate PVTG households 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, electrification of un-electrified households and sustainable livelihood opportunities in time bound manner in 3 years.

Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM): The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM), which has been designed through the merger of two existing schemes for the promotion of tribal livelihood, i.e., “Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Development of Value Chain for MFP” and “Institutional Support for Development and Marketing of Tribal Products/Produce”.

The scheme envisages fixation and declaration of Minimum Support Price for the selected MFP. Procurement and Marketing operation at pre-fixed MSP will be undertaken by the designated State Agencies in the event of the prevailing market price of the particular MFP item falling below the stipulated MSP. Simultaneously other medium and long-term issues like sustainable collection, value addition, infrastructure development, knowledge base expansion of MFP and market intelligence development will also be addressed.

Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS): Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) was started in the year 2018-19 to provide quality education at par with Navodaya Vidyalaya to the tribal children in their own environment. Under the new scheme, Government decided to establish 440 EMRSs, one EMRS in every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per census 2011). 288 EMRS schools were initially funded under Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution, which are being upgraded as per the new model. Accordingly, Ministry has set the target to set up total of 728 EMRSs benefiting around 3.5 lakh ST students across the country.

Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution: Under the Proviso to Article 275(1) of Constitution, Grants are released to States, having ST population for raising the level of administration in Scheduled Areas and for the welfare of tribal people. This is a Special Area Programme and 100% grants are provided to States. Funds are released to the State Governments depending on the felt needs of ST population to bridge the gap in infrastructure activities in the fields of education, health, skill development, livelihood, drinking water, sanitation, etc.

Grant-in Aid to Voluntary Organizations working for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes: Under the scheme of Grant-in-Aid to Voluntary Organizations working for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes, the Ministry funds projects in the fields of education and health, covering residential schools, non-residential schools, hostels, mobile dispensaries, ten or more bedded hospitals, livelihood, etc.

Pre-Matric Scholarships to ST students: The scheme is applicable to students who are studying in Classes IX –X. Parental income from all sources should not be more than Rs.2.50 lakhs per annum. Scholarship of Rs.225/-per month for day scholars and Rs.525/-per month for hostellers is given for a period of 10 months in a year. Scholarship is disbursed through the State Government/UT Administration. Funding ratio is 75:25 between Centre and States for all States except North East and Hills States/UT like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir where it is 90:10. For UTs without legislature sharing pattern is 100% Central share.

Post Matric Scholarship to ST students: The objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to the Scheduled Tribe students studying at post-matriculation or post-secondary levels to enable them to complete their education. Parental income from all sources should not be more than Rs.2.50 lakhs per annum. Compulsory fees charged by educational institutions are reimbursed subject to the limit fixed by the concerned State Fee fixation committee and scholarship amount of Rs.230 to Rs.1200 per month, depending upon the course of study is paid. The Scheme is implemented by the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. Funding ratio is 75:25 between Centre and States for all States except NE and Hilly States/UT of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir where it is 90:10. For UTs without legislature sharing pattern is 100% Central share.

National Overseas Scholarships for ST Candidates: The Scheme provides for financial assistance to selected students to pursue Post Graduation, PhD & Post-Doctoral study abroad. A total of 20 awards are given every year. Of these, 17 awards are for STs and 3 awards for students belonging to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). Parental/family income from all sources should not exceed Rs.6.00 lakhs per annum.

National Fellowship &Scholarship for Higher Education of ST students:

National Scholarship– (Top class) Scheme [Graduate level]: The objective of the scheme is to encourage meritorious ST students for pursuing studies in prescribed courses in any of the 265 institutions of excellence across the country like IITs, AIIMS, IIMs, NIITs, etc. identified by the Ministry. Family income from all sources should not exceed Rs.6.00 lakhs per annum. Scholarship amount includes tuition fees, living expenses and allowances for books and computer.

National Fellowship for ST students: 750 fellowships are provided to ST students each year for pursing higher studies in India for MPhil and PhD. Fellowship is granted as per UGC norms.

Support to Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs): Ministry extends support to the State Governments through the Scheme to set up new TRIs where it didn’t exist and to strengthen functioning of existing TRIs to carry out its core responsibility towards Research & Documentations, Training and capacity building, promotion of rich tribal heritage etc. To preserve tribal art and culture, financial assistance is provided to TRI’s to carry out various activities to preserve and promote tribal culture and heritage across the country through research and documentation, maintenance and preservation of art & artefacts, setting up of tribal museum, exchange visits for the tribals to other parts of the State, organizing tribal festivals etc. Funding under this Scheme is 100% grant-in-aid by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to the TRIs on need basis with the approval of Apex Committee.

State-wise funds allocations made during last five financial years by the Ministry under these schemes/programmes is as follows:

State-wise fund released under Pre-Matric scholarship Scheme for ST students

(Rs. In Crore)

*Provisional

State-wise fund released under Post-Matric scholarship Scheme for ST students

(Rs. In Crore)

*Provisional

State/UT-wise, details of funds released to State Governments during last two years under PM-JANMAN

(in Rs. Cr)

S.N.	State	FY 2023-24	FY 2024-25*
1	Gujarat	1.66	4.37

*Provisional

The details of funds released during last five years under the scheme “Development of PVTGs”

are as under:

(in Rs. lakhs)

S. No	State	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25*
1	Gujarat	552.2	761.8	1731.2	0	0

*Provisional

State-wise fund released under SCA to TSS/PMAAGY

(Rs. in lakh)

*Provisional

Details of funds released under the Scheme of ‘Support to Tribal Research Institutes’ during 2020-21 to 2024-25

Rs. in lakh)

Sl. No	State	Fund Released
Sl. No		2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25*
1	Gujarat	0.00	0	0.00	0.00	250.00

*Provisional

RN/

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STEPS TAKEN FOR THE WELFARE OF SIDDI TRIBE

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