A decade ago, the word tribal in India often evoked images of deprivation, remote villages without schools, mothers walking miles for water, youth leaving forests in search of opportunity. But under the leadership of PM Modi, this story has changed, from one of survival to one of success.
What was once seen as India’s “forgotten frontier” has now become one of its most vibrant engines of growth and pride. For the first time, tribal empowerment is not a slogan but a movement, driven by justice, dignity, and opportunity.
From the Margins to the Mainstream
When PM Modi took office in 2014, tribal development in India operated within a limited framework, a single ministry with a modest budget of Rs 4,498 crore. Over the past decade, this vision has expanded into a nationwide mission. Today, 42 ministries actively contribute to tribal welfare through the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST), marking a fivefold increase in overall tribal-focused spending, from Rs 24,000 crore in 2014 to Rs 1.25 lakh crore in 2024-25.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ budget alone has tripled to Rs 13,000 crore, reflecting the government’s deepened commitment to inclusive growth. DAPST now drives over 200 schemes across education, healthcare, livelihoods, skill development, and sanitation, ensuring that every arm of the government contributes to tribal progress. From 25 lakh Forest Rights Act titles to 1.11 lakh homes for tribal families under PMAY 2.0, this decade under PM Modi has transformed tribal welfare from a marginal agenda into a mainstream national priority.
PM JANMAN and PM JUGA: Taking Development to the Doorstep
PM JanjatiyaUnnat Gram Abhiyanmarked a new era in India’s tribal development journey. With an outlay of Rs 79,156 crore and the combined effort of 17 ministries, this ambitious program targets 63,843 tribal-majority villages and 112 Aspirational Districts by 2029, bridging long-standing gaps in housing, healthcare, education, and connectivity.
In just a year, the impact is visible across the tribal heartland:
o Over 4 lakh pucca houses have been completed.
o Nearly 700 hostels are being built.
o 70 mobile medical units now reach remote areas.
o Over 26,500 villages have access to piped drinking water, while more than 8,600 households have received electricity connections.
o Around 2,200 villages are now connected through mobile networks, and over 280 Anganwadi centres are nurturing early childhood care and nutrition.
Simultaneously, the PM JANMAN, focused on uplifting 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) across 19 states and UTs, is ensuring that even the most remote communities are not left behind. With a budget of Rs 24,104 crore, the mission is driving inclusive progress across multiple fronts:
o Over 90,000 pucca homes built and more than 92,000 households electrified.
o Nearly 700 mobile medical units sanctioned to deliver doorstep healthcare.
o Around 6,700 villages connected to piped water and 1,000 Anganwadi centres now functional.
Together, these two flagship missions embody the Modi government’s resolve to ensure that no village is too far and no community too small to share in the nation’s progress, turning the dream of Viksit Bharat into a grassroots reality.
SEED Scheme Transforming Lives of DNT Communities
To uplift De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, the Modi government launched the SEED Scheme under the Development and Welfare Board for DNTs in 2019. Since then, over Rs 53 crore has been released, benefiting more than 53,000 people, including 46,000 through livelihood support, 551 through free coaching, and 7,000 with health insurance, marking a historic step toward empowering India’s most overlooked communities.
Education: The Bridge to a Brighter Future
In 2013-14, opportunities for tribal children were scarce just 119 Eklavya Model Residential Schools served around 34,000 students, and limited financial aid kept many dreams out of reach. A decade later, the picture is entirely different. By 2025, India has 479 EMRS nurturing 1.38 lakh young minds, many of them first-generation learners from the most remote corners of the country.
Adding to this transformation, the government has provided over Rs 22,000 crore in scholarships over the last 10 years, ensuring that no tribal student is held back for want of resources. Today, nearly 30 lakh tribal students receive scholarships every year, a remarkable rise from 18 lakh in 2013-14, turning aspirations into achievements and education into true empowerment.
Health, Dignity, and Hope
In 2014, access to healthcare in tribal India was limited and uneven, with few health centres, minimal specialist outreach, and negligible disease screening. Under PM Modi, this landscape has been transformed through focused infrastructure expansion and targeted missions. Earlier, one Sub Health Centre served 5,000 people, a PHC 30,000, and a CHC 1.2 lakh; today, these norms stand relaxed to 3,000, 20,000, and 80,000 in hilly and tribal areas, ensuring accessible care even in remote regions.
o Now, 1,498 Mobile Medical Units, including 694 for PVTGs, deliver doorstep healthcare.
o Under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, over 6.47 crore health screenings have been conducted across tribal belts.
o The SwasthNariSashaktParivarAbhiyan, focused on rural & tribal women’s health, mobilised specialists to remote areas and set world records, with 3.21 crore health registrations in a month, 9.94 lakh breast cancer screenings in a week, and 1.25 lakh vital checks, marking a historic leap from neglect to inclusive, preventive tribal healthcare.
Supporting Tribal Livelihood and Entrepreneurship
Under PM Modi, tribal livelihoods have been transformed too.
o Over 4,550 Van DhanVikasKendras (VDVKs) have been sanctioned, benefiting 12.8 lakh tribal individuals, achieving Rs 129 crore in sales, and training over 37,000 entrepreneurs, of which 85% are women.
o Through TRIFED and NSTFDC, tribal entrepreneurship has gained new strength, with TRIFED marketing over 13,000 tribal products through 117 outlets, and NSTFDC disbursing Rs 16,650 crore in loans between 2020-25 to empower tribal businesses.
o Beyond this, a new wave of tribal startups, supported through the DhartiAabaTribePreneur initiative, is emerging. Backed by a Rs 50 crore innovation fund and mentorship from IITs and IIMs, these startups are redefining tribal enterprise, from eco-tourism in Sikkim to organic wellness brands in Nagaland.
