Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to release the first instalment of Rs 540 crore today (January 15) to provide houses to 100,000 tribal beneficiaries under a new central scheme called Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan. Each household will get Rs 2.39 lakh to construct residences.PM Modi to release Rs 540 crore for tribal housing todayThis programme was announced by PM Modi in November 2022 at Khunti, Jharkhand to build 490,000 houses for tribal communities with a total budget of Rs 2,390 crore by 2026. It falls under the Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups Development Mission, revealed in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamans 2022 budget speech.Notably, this mission aims to saturate particularly vulnerable tribal groups with housing, clean water, education, nutrition, roads and livelihoods using Rs 15,000 crore over three years, FM Sitharaman stated while presenting the 2022 budget.What is overall allocation of tribal welfare schemeThe tribal welfare scheme has an overall allocation of Rs 24,104 crore, as per the PMO. The Centre will provide Rs 15,336 crore and states will contribute Rs 8,768 crore. It covers 11 initiatives across nine ministries.In just two months after launch, nine ministries have cleared projects worth Rs 4,700 crore under the mission. This includes sanctioning 916 anganwadis at Rs 12 lakh each costing Rs 126 crore, with 816 to be operational by January-end. The target is 2,500 anganwadis by 2026.100 mobile medical units at Rs 34 lakh per unit have been approved, totalling Rs 34 crore. 500 such hostels are planned by 2026 of which 100 have been sanctioned at Rs 2.75 crore each, amounting to Rs 275 crore.Over 200 cellphone towers costing Rs 243 crore will be installed to provide connectivity in 503 uncovered tribal villages. 405 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras at Rs 5 lakh each have been sanctioned for Rs 20 crore till now and 500 are targeted by 2026.Road construction worth Rs 893 crore spanning 1,207 km has been approved, aiming for 8,000 km by 2026. Further, Rs 270 crore has been allotted for 450 multipurpose centres at Rs 60 lakh each, with 1,000 to be built by 2026.What did PM Modis fund release underscoreThe speedy approvals display the governments intent on expediting development programmes for marginalised tribal communities through coordinated action between ministries.PM Modis release of the first instalment underscores the priority of the scheme that seeks to uplift particularly vulnerable tribal groups through saturation coverage of basic facilities.Its effective on-ground implementation will however be the key.
