A parliamentary standing committee has raised concerns over the inadequate disbursement of funds to key states under the Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) scheme for the financial year 2022-23. States with large tribal populations, such as Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, did not receive any allocations. This has prompted the committee to question how developmental work was carried out in these states without the necessary resources.
The committee’s report, which was presented in Parliament on Wednesday, also highlighted systemic issues, including the underutilization of funds, delays in the submission of utilization certificates by states, and procedural inefficiencies. The report noted that during the period from 2020-21 to 2022-23, the budgetary allocation for PVTGs was significantly reduced during the revision stage. Additionally, no funds were released to states like Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand in 2022-23.
The committee expressed its inability to understand the reasons for withholding funds from these states, especially when a significant portion of the tribal population resides there. The committee questioned how the developmental objectives of the PVTG scheme were achieved without funding and called for mechanisms like the Single Nodal Account (SNA) system to be strengthened to ensure timely and efficient fund disbursement.
The report also pointed to state-level challenges, such as delays in land acquisition and the submission of project proposals, as significant obstacles. The committee recommended enhanced coordination and technical support for the states, alongside robust capacity-building for implementing agencies.
In addition, the committee urged the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to implement rigorous monitoring mechanisms, including independent audits, to ensure the success of the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN). Active involvement of tribal communities and grassroots organizations in the planning and execution of these programs was also emphasized.
The committee stressed the importance of aligning the PVTG scheme with other existing initiatives, such as the Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY) and Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), to adopt a more holistic approach to tribal development. The government has made significant investments in tribal welfare through programs like Rs 6,399 crore for EMRS and Rs 1,000 crore under PMAAGY. However, the committee warned that inefficiencies in fund utilization and underachievement of targets in previous schemes could hinder the success of new initiatives if not promptly addressed
