Jammu: The Tribal Affairs Department (TAD) on Friday refuted reports claiming that 87 per cent of funds allocated for tribal welfare schemes remain unutilised, terming the assertions as “factually incorrect and misleading.”
According to an official communiqué, the department said the claims fail to reflect the actual financial position and ignore the nuances of public expenditure cycles. It maintained that its performance in the 2025–26 financial year demonstrates a focused and result-oriented approach, with 100 per cent utilisation achieved in several flagship schemes.
The department said that fund utilisation must be assessed scheme-wise rather than through aggregate figures. It highlighted that full utilisation has already been achieved in key initiatives such as the Post-Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Tribe students and the Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana, ensuring direct delivery of benefits at the grassroots level.
It further stated that the Tribal Research Institute has recorded 99.85 per cent utilisation, reflecting high administrative efficiency and commitment to research and preservation of tribal heritage.
Addressing infrastructure and district-level projects, the department said these operate on a phased expenditure model. Under the UT Capex Budget for Tribal Welfare infrastructure, over 59 per cent expenditure has already been achieved as works progress on the ground.
The Tribal Sub-Plan, which currently reflects 23.52 per cent utilisation, represents funds that are under active processing in district treasuries, the communiqué said.
On future initiatives, the department clarified that funds under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan cannot be termed “unutilised” as the allocation from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs is scheduled for release in the first week of April 2026.
The department reiterated its commitment to the socio-economic upliftment of tribal communities, stating that all funds are being managed with transparency, efficiency and a focus on improved service delivery.
