No funds for tribal welfare marked by 7 depts and Min

Seven central ministries and departments have not earmarked funds for tribal welfare schemes in their budget for 2019-20 and 12 have "kept the provision below the level stipulated by the Niti Aayog," officials said, on Wednesday.

In 2017, the Niti Aayog developed new guidelines obligating 41 central ministries and departments to earmark funds for Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST), earlier known as Tribal Sub-Plan.

An official said the guidelines were finalized in January 2019, which means complete adherence cannot be ensured this financial year.

"Since the ministries decide their allocations for various schemes by November-December and the guidelines were finalised in January, any corrective action is possible next year only," the official said.

The guidelines state that the 41 identified ministries and departments have to earmark at least 4.3 per cent funds for DAPST.

In January, the Department of Economic Affairs wrote to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, saying 7 ministries/departments have not earmarked funds for DAPST and 12 have "kept the provision below the level stipulated by Niti Aayog", according to the official.

It had asked the 19 "deviating" ministries and departments to take "corrective action".