Key facts
- West Bengal has received ₹126 crore in central funds for tribal welfare.
- The funds will support construction of classrooms, renovation of hostels, and setting up of tribal marketing centers.
- The state government submitted proposals worth ₹200 crore under central schemes shortly after the BJP's electoral win.
- The proposals were cleared within two weeks of submission.
- The state had not previously submitted proposals under key tribal welfare programs.
West Bengal has secured ₹126 crore in central funds for tribal welfare initiatives, marking a significant development shortly after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed power in the state. The approval, granted last week, covers projects aimed at improving educational infrastructure and economic opportunities for tribal communities.
The approved funds are allocated for the construction of 768 additional classrooms (₹95 crore), the renovation of 106 ashram school hostels (₹24 crore), and the establishment of tribal multipurpose marketing centers (₹7 crore). These centers are designed to help local artisans and gatherers bypass middlemen and sell their forest produce and handmade goods at fair prices.
This development follows a report that the West Bengal government had not submitted any proposals under the central government's flagship programs, Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA), since their respective launches in 2023 and 2024. Within ten days of Suvendu Adhikari's swearing-in on May 9, the state government submitted proposals totaling ₹200 crore under these central schemes. The proposals, which included plans for smart classes and centers for Sickle Cell disease research, were received on May 19 and subsequently cleared by June 4.
The ministry also highlighted that the state government had not yet signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre's National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS).