While presenting the last full Union Budget of the second term of the BJP-led NDA government on Wednesday, February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that an amount of Rs 15,000 crore will be allocated for the socio-economic improvement of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG). The amount has been allocated for the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission under the development action plan for the Schedule Tribes in the next three years, she said.
“This will saturate PVTG families and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health, nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities,” Nirmala said during the Budget speech.
Further, the Minister also announced that the Union government in the next three years will recruit 38,800 teachers and support staff for the 740 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), which provide free residential education to around 3.5 lakh Scheduled Tribe students across the nation.
It is to be noted that PVTG was formerly known as ‘Primitive Tribal Groups’. There are 75 such tribal communities in India, which have been identified as the most vulnerable sections among the country’s Scheduled Tribes. They are spread over 18 states and the union territory Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Students hailing from PVTG backgrounds have a reservation of up to 5% in every Eklavya Model Residential School.