Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana

The Government of India and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana for the welfare of tribals. The scheme aims to create an enabling environment for need-based and outcome-oriented development of tribal individuals. It strives to ensure that all the benefits of goods and service under various schemes of the Centre and State reach the target group through the appropriate institutional mechanism.

Target Group

Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana covers all tribals and all areas with tribal population across the country.

Objectives

Qualitative and sustainable employment for tribal families
Improving the quality of life in tribal areas
Bridging the infrastructure gap with a focus on quality
Improving the quality of education
Protection of tribal heritage and culture.

Components of VKY

Health for all
Qualitative and sustainable employment
Housing for all
Urban development
Quality education and higher education
Accelerated economic development of tribal areas.
Universal Availability of Electricity
Safe drinking water for all
All-weather roads with connectivity to nearby towns
Irrigation facilities are suitable for the terrain.
Promotion of sports in tribal areas
Robust institutional mechanism to roll the vehicle of development with sustainability
Promotion and conservation of Tribal Cultural Heritage

Strategies

Convergence of resources and activities being undertaken under different components.
Strengthening of institutions meant for the delivery of goods and services with technical, administrative and financial powers like Integrated Tribal Development Agency, Tribal Welfare Departments and Integrated Tribal Development Projects in addition to the creation of new ones where none exist.
Gender responsiveness will get focused attention
Action plans with outcome-oriented and monitorable targets will be prepared. It will help in the baseline assessment at the village level.
Tribal research institutes will have a significant role to play in the implementation of the scheme. Surveys on specific tribes will be proposed.
In the North-Eastern States, where Panchayats do not exist, institutions of decentralised governance will be established.
The scheme is aimed at achieving defined outcomes for the socio-economic development of the tribal population.
Adequate finances will be mobilised and channelised through appropriate convergence of resources.

Initiatives by VKY

Minor Forest Produce

In order to ensure that the forest dwellers are not deprived of their due, Minor Forest Produce has been implemented. It is most often determined by traders instead of the self-sustained process of demand and supply. Hence, under the scheme, the maximum selling price is being implemented. A web-based portal is developed, which indicates the current price of minor forest produces in real-time across different States. Below mentioned products have been included in the program.

Bamboo
Tendu leaves
Sal seed
Sal leaf
Mahuwa seeds
Wild honey
Lac
Chironjee
Karanji
Gums
Tamarind
Myrobalan

Haat Bazaar

Tribals can sell their local produce like vegetables, honey, spices, minor forest produce, pet birds, clothes, animals, fishes etc. in the traditional weekly haat bazaar. Since they cannot afford their shops/shelters, Haat Bazars will help them sell their produce. Haat Bazaar has all the modern facilities and warehousing facility which encourages people to purchase and sell local produce. Convergence with National Horticulture Mission is envisaged while creating the facilities for warehousing and cold storage.

Tribal Museums and National Tribal Museum

The Ministry will ensure that there is a tribal museum for showcasing and preservation of tribal heritage. Museums will be constructed in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand. Efforts will be made to converge the Museum scheme of the Ministry of Culture and Research scheme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to establish a National Tribal Museum in Delhi.

Credit scheme for FRA beneficiary

Tribal Dwellers Empowerment Scheme has been launched for extending loan up to Rs.1 lakh without any collateral security for FRA title holders. The aim of the scheme is to render advances for value addition to MFP or the introduction of better technology for land under cultivation by them.

Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups

Assistance will be provided for the Conservation and Development of vulnerable tribal groups. The focus is to provide developmental assistance for education, livelihood attainment and health without adversely impacting their cultural identity.

Tribal Medicines and Medical Practices

Steps have been taken to get tribal medicines and medical practices documented through TRIs. Documented and validated medicines will be utilised to address the primary health concerns of tribals for which convergence of National AYUSH Mission and National Health Mission will be undertaken.