Govt refers draft national tribal policy to GoM

NEW DELHI: The government has referred the draft national tribal policy, which aims to address issues
like lower human development index and poor infrastructure in the community, to a Group of Ministers for finalisation.

Tribal Affairs Minister P R Kyndiah told Rajya Sabha today that after extensive consultation with various
stakeholders, the final draft policy was placed before the Union Cabinet for approval on May 31, 2007.

"The Union Cabinet has referred it to a Group of Ministers for harmonisation with the National Rehabilitation
Policy. The policy has not been finalised," Kyndiah said replying a written question.

The Ministry had formulated a draft national tribal policy in June 2006. The aim of the policy was to address the
issues concerning tribals in relation to lower human development index, poor infrastructure and exclusion from
mainstream society.

Kyndiah said the Ministry has launched a new initiative in the year 2005-06 for the development of forest villages
under Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Plan. Under this, infrastructure work relating to basic services and
facilities like healthcare and primary education are taken up for implementation.

He said the Ministry has sanctioned and released Rs 45,924.71 lakh for 2,388 forest villages/habitations spread
in 11 states.

Kyndiah said in addition to this, the scheme of grant-in-aid to State Tribal Development Cooperative
Corporations (STDCCs) for minor forest produce (MFP) operations aims at ensuring remunerative prices to tribals
engaged in the collection of MFP.