SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has initiated first ever exercise for the formulation of a Tribal Development Plan by all the departments as an amalgamation of Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) of all the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) and Union Territory CapEx for targeted development of the tribal population in both rural and urban areas.
Modalities were also finalised for the model villages scheme (PMAAGY) to be implemented in 134 tribal villages this year.
Secretary, Planning Development and Monitoring Department (PD&MD) Dr Raghav Langar and Secretary, Tribal Affairs Department (TAD), Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary convened a meeting with Directors and Joint Directors of Planning wing in all the Administrative Departments and Directorates to finalise modalities for Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) formulation and earmarking budget for tribal welfare and development.
Secretary PD&MD, Dr Raghav Langar underlined the statutory requirement of formulation of the tribal development plan as a district part of all Centrally Sponsored Schemes and CapEx budget of the UT as per guidelines issued by the Government of India. He asked the Directors, Jt Directors and Deputy Directors of planning wings in various departments to start exercise on the notified formats and uploading plans on the MIS portal. He also discussed focused planning for the inclusive development of the tribal populations.
Secretary TAD, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary made a detailed presentation about the modalities of tribal development plan. He dwelled on the guidelines of NITI Ayog and Central Ministers making it mandatory for all departments to earmark funds proportionate to tribal population for planned tribal development. He added that Tribal Development Plan shall be comprised of Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) of all Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Tribal Sub-Plan of UT Capex which will be augmented by Special Central Assistance to TSP by the department.
Pertinently, Planning Commission in 2014 issued guidelines making it mandatory for all the departments to formulate Tribal Sub-Plan proportionate to tribal population for allocation both under CSS and State/UT CapEx. The NITI Ayog made it mandatory for formulate TSP as a pre-condition for approval of State/UT annual plans however the practice was not adopted in J&K. In line with the Government’s commitment to inclusive development of tribal communities the Tribal Affairs department and the Planning, Monitoring & Development Department have initiated the exercise for statutory tribal development plan by all departments, missions, and districts.
The Tribal Affairs Deptt also presented the gap analysis of facilities in tribal villages requiring planning by various departments including education, healthcare, veterinary care, power supply, PDS, water supply, etc. Deptt has projected 2843 villages and 314 urban wards for allocations by all the departments under the statutory tribal sub-plan. Deptt also shared Village Development Plan formats for the PMAAGY model villages scheme which requires 43% of TSP funds to be converged by all the departments.
