PM Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PM-JUGA)

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The Government of India has approved the PM Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PM-JUGA), with an allocated budget of ₹79,156 crore. The scheme was introduced in the Union Budget 2024-25 and aims to address critical gaps in social infrastructure in tribal-majority villages. It draws on the lessons learned from the success of PM-JANMAN, another government initiative aimed at uplifting marginalized communities.

Objective:

The primary goal of PM-JUGA is to enhance the socio-economic conditions of tribal communities by ensuring comprehensive coverage of essential welfare schemes for tribal families. This will be accomplished by saturating tribal-majority villages and aspirational districts with much-needed social infrastructure.

Coverage and Beneficiaries:

The scheme is set to cover 63,000 villages across 30 states, benefiting an estimated five crore tribal people. The program is comprehensive and will target six key sectors: household and community infrastructure, connectivity, health, education, electrification, and economic empowerment.

Implementation Mechanism:

Each government department will be tasked with implementing the schemes falling under its purview, utilizing the allocated funds from the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes over the next five years. Tribal villages will be mapped on the PM Gati Shakti Portal, enabling the identification of gaps in infrastructure, which will then be addressed by the respective departments.

Key Components of the Scheme:

1. Tribal Home Stay Program:
To tap into the tourism potential of tribal areas, 1,000 home stays will be developed under the Swadesh Darshan scheme through the Ministry of Tourism. Financial support will be provided—₹5 lakh for constructing two new rooms, ₹3 lakh for renovating existing rooms, and ₹5 lakh for village community requirements.

2. Sustainable Livelihood for Forest Right Holders (FRA):
The scheme aims to expedite the recognition and securing of forest rights for tribal communities, empowering them to conserve forests while also providing sustainable livelihoods.

3. Infrastructure Development in Residential Schools and Hostels:
The program will enhance the infrastructure of Ashrams, hostels, tribal schools, and government residential schools, bringing them up to the standards of PM-SHRI Schools.

4. Sickle Cell Disease Diagnosis Centers:
Centers of Competence (CoC) will be established in AIIMS and other premier institutions in states with a high prevalence of sickle cell disease to provide advanced diagnostic facilities.

5. Tribal Multipurpose Marketing Centers (TMMCs):
A total of 100 Tribal Multipurpose Marketing Centers (TMMCs) will be set up to ensure that tribal producers receive fair prices for their products, allowing consumers to buy directly from tribal sellers, thus promoting economic empowerment.