Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram on May 26 2025 released a comprehensive booklet highlighting major achievements of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs during the 11 years of the NDA government from 2014 to 2025. The launch event also featured his remarks on the controversial Great Nicobar Island infrastructure project, stating that complaints regarding forest clearance and gram sabha consent were currently under examination.

Mr Oram said the document showcased how the government fulfilled promises made to marginalised communities and began by referencing the Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh, a national celebration commemorating 150 years since the birth of tribal icon Birsa Munda.

Tribal progress outlined in NDA's 11-year rule

Mr Oram stated that initiatives launched under both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had helped in delivering targeted development to tribal communities, especially those categorised as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups PVTGs.

One of the cornerstone schemes mentioned was PM JANMAN which aims to saturate tribal villages with basic infrastructure such as housing drinking water roads power healthcare and nutrition. Under this package:

• 4.35 lakh houses have been sanctioned with 1.04 lakh completed

• Electrification of 1.05 lakh households has been completed out of 1.4 lakh sanctioned

• Development of 596 villages has been completed under full intervention saturation

The Minister also highlighted the Dharti Aba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, a second saturation initiative covering Scheduled Tribe villages through 25 interventions across 17 line Ministries. The idea he said was to bring holistic development in tribal areas with coordination between Central and State authorities.

On Great Nicobar project concerns

When questioned about the ₹72000 crore Great Nicobar Island project, which has been under scrutiny for alleged violations of forest rights and irregularities in gram sabha clearances, Mr Oram clarified that the matter was under administrative review.

He explained that the Tribal Affairs Ministry was only responsible for reviewing the gram sabha consent process, while other aspects such as Environmental Impact Assessment EIA and implementation fall under other government departments.

He added that it was not yet possible to comment on the stage of examination since multiple aspects are being verified including whether proper gram sabha meetings were held and whether their recommendations were fairly obtained.

The project had received preliminary clearances in 2022, but soon after, the Tribal Council of Little and Great Nicobar withdrew its consent raising questions about procedural lapses. Both the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and the National Green Tribunal have flagged the issue for deeper scrutiny.

Highlighting tribal welfare schemes and education reform

The booklet presented by Mr Oram also focused on achievements such as:

• Eklavya Model Residential Schools EMRS which have been revamped and centralised over the past six years

• Community Forest Rights CFR titles which have seen a 412 percent increase strengthening tribal self-governance

• Van Dhan Vikas Kendras offering business training and marketing platforms

• Mobile medical units multipurpose centres scholarships and support to Tribal Research Institutes

He also spoke about the Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana which provides infrastructure to selected tribal villages to serve as model communities. Special focus was also placed on preserving tribal heritage through museums, and building a narrative around tribal freedom fighters and history.

Call for permanent tribal settlements

Mr Oram reiterated the need to ensure permanent settlement and security for tribal populations, particularly those displaced or living in remote and underdeveloped geographies. He said the government remains committed to empowering tribal citizens through health, education, financial inclusion and community-based enterprise models.

Tribal Health Enhancement and inclusion focus

Under the mission for Tribal Health Enhancement, specific interventions are being planned for maternal care nutrition and disease prevention in tribal areas. He noted that the Jan Aushadhi initiative, delivery of telemedicine services, and construction of primary health centres in remote regions were already underway.

The Ministry also highlighted its work with the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation NSTFDC to promote tribal-made products and build economic independence through crafts and skill development.

Looking forward

The booklet serves as both a retrospective of achievements and a roadmap for future tribal development, with key goals such as:

• Scaling EMRS coverage to all tribal blocks

• Digitally documenting and promoting tribal languages and folklore

• Strengthening forest rights implementation across all States

• Deepening private-public partnerships for tribal entrepreneurship

Jual Oram concluded that the NDA’s tribal policies over 11 years have ushered in significant socio-economic changes and he reaffirmed the government’s intent to continue prioritising inclusion dignity and empowerment for India's tribal population.

The Upcoming IPOs in this week and coming weeks are Jainik Power Cables, Sacheerome Limited, Victory Electric Vehicles International, Wagons Learning.

The Current active IPO are Ganga Bath Fittings.

The Closed IPOs are 3B Films.