Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the PM-Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PM-JUGA), a comprehensive campaign aimed at the holistic development of tribal communities across the country.
This initiative will significantly benefit 10,85,661 tribal families across 7,667 villages in 232 blocks of 27 districts in Odisha.
In a press release, Odisha’s Minister for ST, SC Development, and M&BCW, Nityananda Gond, expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for his efforts toward the upliftment of the state’s tribal population.
He noted that 22.85% of Odisha’s population belongs to tribal communities, which consist of 64 distinct tribes, including 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). The campaign is expected to bridge gaps in infrastructure, education, health, and financial empowerment for these communities.
Minister Gond highlighted that both the Union and State Governments are working together to ensure that basic services are provided to tribal communities and to foster a healthy living environment. He praised the PM-JUGA initiative, which he believes will lead to significant progress in the state’s tribal regions, integrating remote tribal communities into the mainstream and empowering them economically.
The PM-JUGA campaign has set four key goals: infrastructure development, financial empowerment, quality education for all, and ensuring dignified ageing through improved healthcare. The initiative is designed to address critical challenges in tribal areas by focusing on these areas over the next five years.
Building on the success of the PM-JANMAN Yojana, the Government of India has launched PM-JUGA to tackle issues relating to infrastructure, education, health, and livelihoods in tribal regions. The initiative will encompass 25 programs, implemented by 17 ministries and departments, and will be funded through the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST).
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Modi on September 18, 2024 approved the PM-JUGA with a total outlay of Rs 79,156 crore (including Rs 56,333 crore as the central share and Rs 22,823 crore from the states).
This large-scale initiative aims to improve the socio-economic condition of tribal families through saturation coverage in tribal-majority villages and aspirational districts.
In total, PM-JUGA will cover around 63,000 villages, benefiting over 5 crore tribal people, as outlined in the 2024-25 Budget. The program will span 549 districts and 2,740 blocks across 30 states and union territories.
