PM TO Chair National Council for Tribal Welfare

In order to send a strong message that the Government is committed to the cause of welfare of tribals, an apex body ‘National Council for Tribal Welfare’ (NCTW) headed by the Prime Minister has been constituted. Shri Kanti Lal Bhuria, the Minister of Tribal Affairs initiated the formation of the body.

The proposed Apex level body has 18 members viz. Ministers of Tribal Affairs; Finance; Agriculture; Home Affairs; Health & Family Welfare; Environment & Forests; HRD; Rural Development; Woman and Child Development; Culture; Mines; Coal and Power; Deputy Chairperson, Planning Commission; Chief Minister of Schedule V and Schedule VI States; two experts to be nominated by the Prime Minister for a period of 2 years and Secretary, M/o Tribal Affairs, as Member Secretary.

The Council would provide broad policy guidelines to bring about improvement in the lives of the ST community in the country. It would also review the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, implementation of Schedule-V and Schedule-VI of the Constitution, monitor the implementation of Tribal Sub-Plan and the programmes aimed at protecting vulnerable tribal groups. Meetings of the Council would be linked with the meetings of the National Development Council (NDC) to ensure that they are held regularly and the Chief Ministers are able to attend during NDC meeting.

In addition to the above Council, a Standing Committee would also be constituted with Minster of Tribal Affairs, as Chairperson and other members such as Secretaries of Ministries - Finance, Home, Secretary, Environment& Forests Secretary, Agriculture, HRD Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Women & Child Development, Culture Rural Development and Member Secretary, Planning Commission. Besides, two experts to be nominated by Minister of Tribal Affairs, and Secretary, M/o Tribal Affairs, as Member Secretary.

SB/AP