To start with, lets take a sector wise snapshot –

#1. EDUCATION:

• Bilingual Primers: To overcome language barriers in learning among tribal children, all Tribal Research Institutes have been funded to prepare bilingual primers (both in tribal and regional languages) which would be reproduced through Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. Odisha, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra have already initiated this process
• Vacations: Synchronization of vacation with Tribal Festivals has been advocated to check drop out
• To provide physical safety and quality education and its access, nearly 20,000 seats during FY 14-15, about 40,000 seats during CFY in hostel/residential school facility have been sanctioned.
• To make education relevant for the tribal children- vocational training integrated with residential schools with one of the teachers acting as mentor cum counselor.
• Training of tribal girl/lady as ANM and their posting as Assistant Warden in Girls hostel for girl safety and counselling.
• Toilets: Every tribal area school without toilet targeted to have functional toilets with focus on girls toilets and funds provided for safety and inculcating hygiene and sanitation habits.
• Scholarships: Increasing the number of scholarships for ST students in professional education and research from 667 to 1000 scholarships per year under the Scheme of Top Class Education and from 625 to 750 fellowships per year for ST students under the National Fellowship scheme.

#2. RESEARCH:

• Grant-in Aid to Tribal Research Institutes (TRI) scheme: has been revised from the FY 2014-15 to extend 100% financial assistance to strengthen them in the areas of Research & Documentation of tangible and intangible heritage and Training & Capacity building etc.
• TRIs of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur,Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, West Bengal & Andaman & Nicobar Islands supported for carrying out the following activities:

1.  Research Studies/ Evaluation Studies/ Ethnographic / Anthropological Studies.
2.  Organization of Exhibitions/Conferences/Workshops on tribal issues, etc
3. Training and Capacity building
4. Exchange of visits for Tribal youth
5.  Tribal festivals, etc.

The functions of the TRI: to work as body of knowledge and research, to support evidence based policy, planning and legislations, capacity building, dissemination of information and creation of awareness etc.

STRENGTHENING OF INSTITUTIONS:

• Strengthening of Integrated Tribal Development Agency/Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDA/ ITDP) for effective delivery of public goods and services to tribals in Tribal Areas
• Society for Protection of Tribals: Will be set up by Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in collaboration with the Government of NCT of Delhi; an autonomous body; would help the migrant tribals access basic citizen services, including Rescue, Rehabilitation and counselling services, through a 24 X 7 helpline
• Tribal Research Institute – have been revived to make them vibrant institutions through 100% funding for core staff and activities. TRI, Odisha has been declared as National Resource Centre
• Centre of Excellence has been set up for study of Tribal language and literature in Viswa Bharati, Shantiniketan, and West Bengal
• Forest Right Act development: Till the end of September, 2015, 44,01,563 claims have been filed and 17,02,047 titles have been distributed under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. Out of these, 16,61,214 individual, 38,685 community and  2148 CFR titles have been distributed, covering a total area of around 89 lakh acres of land.

Published with inputs from Swapnil