India, home to over 10.45 crore Scheduled Tribe (ST) individuals — 8.6 per cent of the total population — has a rich and diverse tribal heritage. The Budget 2025-26 reinforces the government’s commitment to ensuring that tribal communities are not left behind. A substantial 45.79 per cent increase in the overall Budget allocation for tribal welfare underscores this vision, raising the total budget for the development of Scheduled Tribes from ₹10,237.33 crore in 2024-25 to ₹14,925.81 crore in 2025-26.
This set to drive transformative initiatives like the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA), a landmark scheme subsuming the Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY), with an allocation of ₹80,000 crore over five years. This initiative will help bridge infrastructural and socio-economic gaps in tribal-dominated regions. Since 2014-15, the budget for tribal welfare has grown by an astounding 231.83 per cent, demonstrating a sustained and progressive push for tribal development.
To break the barriers to education of tribal students, the budget for Eklavya Model Residential Schools has surged to ₹7,088.60 crore, nearly double last year’s ₹4,748 crore, ensuring that more tribal children receive quality education in well-equipped institutions.
Additionally, the Maharashtra government’s decision to establish Centres of Excellence at four regional tribal centres — Amravati, Nagpur, Nashik, and Thane — will offer structured coaching for competitive exams like JEE, NEET, and civil services.
A pathway to prosperity
Many tribal families depend on seasonal forest produce and traditional crafts for sustenance. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Jatiya Vikas Mission, with an increased budget of ₹380.40 crore (up from ₹152.32 crore), is set to offer sustainable livelihood opportunities, ensuring year-round income for tribal households. Additionally, the PMAAGY, with a 163 per cent increase in allocation to ₹335.97 crore, will strengthen rural employment infrastructure in tribal-dominated areas.
To support the most marginalised, funding for Multi-Purpose Centers under PM-JANMAN has doubled from ₹150 crore to ₹300 crore, providing comprehensive support services to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups.
One of the most ambitious initiatives under the Budget is DAJGUA, which aims to transform 63,843 tribal villages by integrating education, healthcare, skill development, and employment generation. With an outlay of ₹79,156 crore over five years — ₹56,333 crore from the Centre and ₹22,823 crore from the States — this mission will reach five crore tribals across 549 districts in 30 States and UTs.
This initiative unites 17 ministries through 25 focused interventions, quadrupling the Ministry of Tribal Affairs’ allocation for DAJGUA from ₹500 crore to ₹2,000 crore in 2025-26. Such concerted efforts ensure that remote villages receive the resources they need for sustainable growth.
The Budget marks a paradigm shift in tribal development, focusing on education, healthcare, skill development, and economic empowerment. These initiatives do more than provide immediate relief; they lay the foundation for a self-reliant and globally competitive India where tribal communities are active contributors to national growth rather than mere beneficiaries.
Sinha is National Spokesperson, BJP; Kaushik is a public policy and social impact consultant