Mana village, situated in the Joshimath block of Chamoli district in Uttarkhand, has been selected for the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan, a Central Government initiative aimed at enhancing the socio-economic conditions of tribal communities.
Chamoli's District Magistrate announced on X on Monday, “Mana village in Joshimath block of Chamoli district has been selected by the Central Government under the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan.” The district is home to the Bhotiya tribes, who have lived in the Mana and Niti valleys of Upper Chamoli for centuries, according to the official site of the Chamoli district administration.
The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the programme on September 18, allocating a total budget of ₹79,156 crore. The Central Government will contribute ₹56,333 crore, while the states will provide ₹22,823 crore.
The programme aims to improve infrastructure, health services, education, and livelihood opportunities for tribal communities nationwide. It is expected to cover approximately 63,000 villages and benefit over 5 crore tribal people, as announced in the Union Budget 2024-25.
Implementation will take place across 549 districts and 2,740 blocks in 30 states and union territories, focusing on tribal-majority villages and aspirational districts.
Seventeen ministries will implement the programme, with each responsible for specific schemes funded under the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST) over the next five years.
According to the 2011 census, India's cumulative tribal population exceeds 10.45 crore, representing various Scheduled Tribes (ST). There are over 705 tribal communities, many residing in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
The Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan seeks to address gaps in social infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic opportunities for these communities. It will incorporate multiple government schemes to ensure effective service delivery to tribal populations.
Key objectives include enhancing infrastructure, promoting economic empowerment, and ensuring access to quality education, healthcare, and dignified ageing.
To monitor the programme's progress, tribal villages will be mapped on the PM Gati Shakti Portal. This platform will help identify development gaps and tailor schemes to meet each village's specific needs. Progress, both physical and financial, will also be tracked, with rewards for the best-performing districts.
The Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan will introduce innovative initiatives for tribal communities, including tribal homestays, sustainable livelihood programmes for forest rights holders, improved infrastructure in residential schools and hostels, enhanced facilities for diagnosing sickle cell disease, and tribal marketing centres.
These efforts build upon the success of the earlier Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PMJANMAN), launched in November 2023.
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