Tribal

Assam passes Bills allowing Guv to head autonomous councils if polls late

The Assam Assembly on Thursday passed amendment Bills related to seven autonomous councils, authorising the governor to take over the functioning of these bodies if holding of elections is found to be "impractical" even at the end of the mandated extended term of the elected committees. Tribal Affairs Minister Ranoj Pegu, who introduced the Bills, said that there is a provision of extending the term of the elected councils running these bodies for a maximum of one year. "The problem will arise if elections cannot be held even after the end of the extended period. And hence, these amendment Bills have been brought," he said. The amendment Bills pertained to Mising Autonomous Council, Bodo Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council, Thengal Kachari Autonomous Council, Deori Autonomous Council, Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council, Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council and Tiwa Autonomous Council. The amendment states that if the governor is "satisfied that circumstances so exist which render holding

Budget 2025: Centre boosts Tribal ministry funding by 45%, focus on infra

The central government has increased the budget for the Union Tribal Ministry by over 45 per cent compared to the last year, allocating more funds to bridge infrastructure gaps in tribal-dominated areas across the country. For 2025-26, the ministry has been allocated Rs 14,925.81 crore, up from Rs 10,237.33 crore in 2024-25. Eklavya Model Residential Schools, which provide quality education to tribal students, will receive Rs 7,088.60 crore, up from Rs 4,748 crore last year. The budget for the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission, which ensures year-round income-generating opportunities for tribals, has been increased from Rs 152 crore to Rs 380 crore. The government has allocated Rs 335.97 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY), compared to Rs 127.51 crore last year. Under PMAAGY, funds are provided to states and union territories with Scheduled Tribe (ST) populations to improve education, healthcare, agriculture, skill development and employment ...

Jharkhand polls: BJP washed out in tribal seats, JMM wins historic mandate

The only ST seat that saffron party could win was thanks to the turncoat former CM Champai Soren, who had quit JMM to join the BJP and won his Saraikella seat on a BJP ticket

Infiltrators marrying tribals won't get land, says Amit Shah in Jharkhand

Amit Shah, in poll-bound Jharkhand, vowed to curb infiltrators, protect tribal land, tackle corruption, and strengthen tribal welfare under BJP governance

Tribal issues come to the fore as poll battle heats up in Jharkhand

All but one CM have been members of ST communities. Still two-thirds of tribal-dominated districts have high levels of multidimensional poverty

Parties leave no stone unturned for tribal votes in Poonch, Rajouri

In Poonch and Rajouri districts, there are eight Assembly constituencies, among which five are reserved for the STs

Integration of Andaman tribals into mainstream sparks mixed reactions

The gradual integration of tribals in Andaman and Nicobar Islands into mainstream society has sparked mixed reactions with some experts expressing concern that it could lead to their exploitation by outsiders, while others believe it is essential for their survival, advocating for education to help them adapt to societal changes. This trend is primarily noticed among Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) such as Shompens, Jarawas (Ang), Onges, and the Great Andamanese who live in their respective reserved dense forests where non-tribals are barred. A watershed moment took place on April 19, 2024, when Nauaaw and six other Shompens, including Jetuwai, Thuwaee, and Chemai, voted in the Lok Sabha elections for the first time, marking a significant milestone for their community. Shompens are predominantly uncontacted nomadic hunters, with a population of 244 on Nicobar Island. Nicobar Island is currently in the news due to the Rs 72,000-crore international transshipment project

2,100 tribal students to be trained in chip technology at IISc: Govt

The tribal affairs ministry in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, will provide basic training to 1,500 and advanced training to 600 tribal students in semiconductor technology over the next three years, the government informed Parliament on Thursday. In response to a question by BJP MP C M Ramesh, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey said his ministry has given the project -- Semiconductor Fabrication & Characterization Training for Students from Tribal Community -- to the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). The project, which was given to the institute under the central sector scheme Tribal Research Information, Education, Communication and Events (TRI-ECE) during the financial year 2023-24, aims to deliver 2,100 NSQF-certified level 6.0 and 6.5 training in semiconductor technology to tribal students over three years, he said. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs in collaboration with the ...

Tripura: Shops torched after tribal youth injured in group clash dies

Several shops were torched and houses damaged in Tripura's Dhalai district following the death of a tribal youth in a group clash, prompting authorities to impose prohibitory orders, police said on Saturday. The 19-year-old college student, who sustained serious injuries in a clash between two groups at Gandatwisa in Dhalai district on July 7, passed away at GBP Hospital here on Friday. Additional police personnel have been deployed in the village after Friday's arson and Internet services have been suspended in the area. Four persons have been arrested in connection with the death of the youth, police said. According to police sources, Parmeshwar Reang, accompanied by his friends, had visited the Gandatwisa market to attend a fair organised on the occasion of Rath Yatra. "Suddenly, a clash erupted between two groups of youths, during which Reang sustained severe injuries. Initially admitted to Gandatwisa hospital, he was later transferred to GBP hospital as his condition worsened.

BJP leader Mohan Charan Majhi takes oath as Chief Minister of Odisha

Four-time MLA and tribal leader Mohan Charan Majhi was on Wednesday sworn in as the first BJP chief minister of Odisha at a ceremony here attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union ministers and chief ministers. Senior BJP leader and Patnagarh MLA KV Singh Deo and debutant from Nimapara assembly segment Pravati Parida took oath as deputy chief ministers. Governor Rabghubar Das administered the oath of secrecy and office to them at Janata Maidan. This is the first time that a BJP government has been formed in the eastern state. Apart from Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Bhupender Yadav, Dharmendra Pradhan, Jual Oram, Ashwini Vaishnaw and others attended the ceremony. Several chief ministers of BJP-ruled states including Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand were also present. Odisha's outgoing chief minister Naveen Patnaik also attended the ceremony. BJP for the first time got a

Madhya Pradesh's tribal-dominated districts to get organic certificate soon

Forest Minister Nagar Singh Chauhan has directed officials concerned to complete all formalities for same. This certification would help tribal communities obtain better prices for their produce

PM Modi to speak at gathering of tribal communities in MP's Jhabua

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak at a conference of tribal communities and inaugurate or lay foundation stones of development projects worth Rs 7,300 crore in Madhya Pradesh's Jhabua district on Sunday, officials said. Tribals from across the country will take part in the congregation at Gopalpura, state BJP media cell chief Ashish Agrawal told PTI. This will be Modi's first visit to the state this year, coming ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Among the states, Madhya Pradesh has the highest six Lok Sabha seats reserved for tribals. During his visit, the prime minister will also disburse monthly installments to some two lakh women beneficiaries under the Aahar Anudan Yojana of the state, an official release said. Under the scheme, Rs 1,500 per month are provided for nutritious food to women from especially backward tribes. The PM will also distribute 1.75 lakh 'adhikar abhilekh' (record of land rights) under the SVAMITVA scheme. He will lay the foundation stone of Tantya

Interim Budget: Allocation for tribal ministry up by 70% at Rs 13,000 cr

The government has allocated Rs 13,000 crore to the Tribal Affairs Ministry in the interim Budget 2024-25, a massive increase of 70 per cent from the allotment in the previous financial year. The tribal ministry was allocated Rs 7,605 crore in the financial year 2023-24. The Centre has earmarked Rs 6,399 crore for the construction of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in 2024-25, a 150 per cent increase over Rs 2,471.81 crore allocated for this purpose in 2023-24. The objective of EMRS is to provide quality middle and high-level education to tribal students in remote areas, enabling them to access reservation in high and professional educational courses and jobs in government, public, and private sectors, as well as having access to the best opportunities in education at par with the non-ST population. The allocation for the Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana has been increased from Rs 300 crore to Rs 1,000 crore. Under the scheme, funds are provided to states or UTs havi

PM Modi guarantees time-bound saturation of flagship schemes among Adivasis

Enrolment of potential beneficiaries will be done through details ascertained during the Yatra

Manipur tribal group threatens indefinite shutdown objecting arrests by CBI

Manipur's Kangpokpi-based tribal organisation, Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), on Monday threatened to launch an indefinite shutdown in the district if the Centre failed to immediately release all those arrested by central agencies over the last three days. Condemning the arrest of four people by the CBI in connection with the killing of two Manipuri youths, COTU in a statement on Monday said, "The committee serves a 48-hour ultimatum to the Union home ministry to direct the central agencies to immediately release all the arrested tribals and initiate an investigation of Meitei criminals." COTU's ultimatum came a day after Churachandpur-based Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) announced an indefinite shutdown in the southern district of Manipur to protest the arrest of the four persons by the CBI and Seiminlun Gangte by the NIA. COTU also denounced the arrest of Gangte and alleged that it is "a clear indication of partisan attitude on the part of the Union home ministry." Gan

Two tribal women stripped naked, tortured in West Bengal, says BJP

The BJP alleged on Saturday that two tribal women were stripped naked and tortured a few days ago in West Bengal while police remained a "mute spectator". In a Twitter post, BJP's I-T department head Amit Malviya, who is also the party's co-incharge for the state, said the incident took place in Malda on July 19, with a "frenzied mob baying for her blood". He also posted a video with blurred images of the crime. "It had all the making of a tragedy that should have 'broken' Mamata Banerjee's heart and she, instead of merely outraging, could have acted, since she is also the home minister of Bengal," he said, attacking the state's chief minister who has been strident in criticising the Manipur incident. With opposition parties targeting the BJP over the incident of two women being paraded naked in ethnic violence-hit Manipur, where it is in power, the party has been highlighting similar cases of atrocities against women in states ruled by its rivals such as the Congress and the Mamat

60 sheep die, 200 fall sick due to animal disease in Himachal's tribal belt

As many as 60 sheep and goats were killed and around 200 affected following the outbreak of a highly contagious animal disease in the highland pastures of the tribal Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, officials said on Monday. The Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) disease, also known as 'sheep and goat plague', has affected the cattle of three identified flocks in the Hadsar area near Chamba border. The common symptoms of the disease are diarrhoea and pneumonia affecting the lungs, Dr Anurag, a veterinarian treating the animals along with his four-member team, told PTI. The animals also experience nasal discharge leading to breathing problems, especially for affected animals in high altitude areas, Anurag said. Besides treating the sick sheep and goats and providing their owners with medical kits, the veterinary team is also raising awareness among shepherds about the disease, its symptoms and necessary precautions, the doctor added. Dr Amitabh Thakur, Deputy Director o

Hul Diwas 2023: Celebrating tribals and their bravery against the British

Today, on the occasion of Hul Kranti Divas, tributes are paid to the brave tribals who faced the British ammunition with only a bow and arrow

Beyond tribal instincts

Kasturi Ray's biography of President Droupadi Murmu is an exploration into her childhood, her deep inner sorrow, and the impact of her cultural upbringing, which values generosity, on her life

Govt to appoint interlocutor by Mar 27: Shah tells Tripura tribal party TMP

He told the media that Shah had assured that, like in the case of Nagaland, an interlocutor would be appointed to look after and resolve the demands of TMP within three months or a specific time frame