In a discussion on Akashvani’s Spotlight program,&nbsp;Biswajit Das, Deputy Director General, Minister of Tribal Affairs and Omwesh Upadhyay, Anchor discussed on Pradhan Mantri, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM PVTG) Development Mission.<br />”&nbsp;<br />”&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM PVTG) Mission for the holistic development of around 28,00,000 PVTGs in the country. PM launched the 24,000 crores mission from Jharkhand’s Khunti district on the occasion of tribal icon Birsa Munda's birth anniversary and the third Janjatiya Gaurav Divas.<br />”&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />”Biswajit Das, Deputy Director General, Minister of Tribal Affairs briefs about the objectives of Pradhan Mantri PVTG Mission. He said PVTG is among the 745 or 750 tribal groups, which are scattered in remote and inaccessible habitations often in forest areas. Hence the mission with the budget of rupees 20,000 crores is planned to saturate PVTG families and habitation with basic facilities such as road and telecom connectivity, electricity, safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.<br />”&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />”He further adds that PVTG Mission focuses on 11 critical interventions through nine major ministries of government of India. These ministries are Ministry of Rural Development, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Department of Telecommunication and my ministry, i.e., the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The fund will be leveraged under the Development Action Plan for the scheduled tribe available with the ministries.<br />”&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />”About initiatives and programs that are part of PVTG’s Mission to empower specific tribal groups. Mr. Das said the initiatives include provision of pucca houses, road connectivity, community water supply and establishment of health sub centres. Then anganwadi services will be covered with this program. Also setting up VDVK (VanDhan Vikas Kendra) that is the interpretation of my ministry. Apart from these, other interventions will also include, the Ministry of Housing will set up a House Wellness Center whenever possible.<br />”&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />”Mr Das addressed healthcare and educational needs within PVTG communities? He said for education purposes, we are establishing Eklavya Model Residential School that is being established in every block having 50% or more tribals, by 2026 we will be establishing 740 such schools. 70% of our ministry budget is being spent for education only. But main education interventions are coming from Ministry of School Education and Literacy. They have Samagra Siksha schemes for overall educational development. State governments are also funding.<br />”&nbsp;<br />”On the other hand through Health Ministry we are providing health services, there are huge improvements like student delivery increased from 68% to 80% to 83% for STs. Even for immunisation services, full immunisation among children of 12 to 23 months, that is 76.8% and higher amongst all communities. So, gradually improving but still there are gaps and we are trying to fulfil through the interventions.<br />”&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />”Mr. Das later talked about livelihood and economic well-being opportunities of tribals. He said through VDVK (VanDhan Vikas Kendra), PM Vishwakarma Scheme or Schemes of Ministry of Skills and Entrepreneurship, Rural Development we are trying to improve livelihood condition of these tribals. Further, we have National ST Finance and Development Corporations to provide loans at concessional rate to tribal entrepreneurs.<br />”&nbsp;<br />”&nbsp;About opportunities given to each community, He said we will have steering committee under the chairmanship of the Secretary of Tribal Affairs and high powered committee under the chairmanship of the Honourable Minister of Tribal Affairs. Through this committee and interventions, we will try to monitor the mission and provide services as envisaged under mission by 2026-2027.<br />”&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />”On the matter of digitalization and government involvement in usage of digital technology to gather better insights on the mission, Mr. Das said we have dashboard for each and every intervention and we also have websites, portals through which we collect data, providing services, providing funds. Further BISAG-N, the technological partner of PM Gati Shakti, have launched an app for us, mobile app through which we are collecting data and trying to devise gaps and what is interventional for these PVTG Missions.<br />”&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />”He said Prime Minister Modi talks that new India's development is all about reaching the last mile, reaching antyodaya and we are moving through the direction only. Under PVTG Mission and other services, we are providing integration to STs and will try to improve the situation and take them into mainstream. There are 75 groups of PVTG, who are staying in 18 States and one UT, located in 220 districts in the country, 840 blocks and about 22,000 villages and habitations and total population of 28,00,000.<br />”<span style="color: #222222;">&nbsp;</span><br />