Govt proposes setting up Tribal Research Institute

New Delhi: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has proposed setting up of a national-level Tribal Research Institute (TRI) along with a National Tribal Museum in the national capital, Union Tribal Minister Jual Oram said on Thursday.

The national-level TRI will be responsible for coordinating the activities of state TRIs along with taking up national-level studies. The National Tribal Museum, which will be a part of the setup, will showcase the rich tribal culture and heritage using state-of-the-art technologies.

The proposal to set up the museum and the TRI has already been sent to the Niti Aayog, the Union Minister said.

He said as per the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech on August 15, 2016, the Tribal Affairs Ministry is in the process of setting up memorials of six tribal freedom fighters, including two of national importance -- one at Narmada (Gujarat) and the other at the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi.

Spelling out the achievements of his ministry in the last four years, Oram said that allocations under the Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) have seen an increase of 94 per cent in the last four years, from Rs 19, 437 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 37,803 crore in 2018-19.

The increase is due to allocations under STC to eight more ministries and departments, the minister said.

He also talked about the amendments in the Allocation of Business Rules in 2017, whereby, the ministry was given the mandate for monitoring STC funds of central ministries.

An online monitoring system (www.stcmis.gov.in) has been put in place for monitoring of expenditure vis-a-vis allocations, physical performance and outcome monitoring.

"The Tribal Ministry has spent Rs 18,415.18 crore for development of tribals in the last four years, from 2014-15 to 2017-18. A total of 18,40,370 titles have been distributed under Forest Rights Act, 2006, covering an area of 143 lakh acres across the country," Oram said.