Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, has released the latest report on the “job opportunity for tribals through open-source transportation”. This report has been published in reply to the questions asked by Shri Poddar. As per this report, National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has disbursed around Rs. 7576.97 lakh to benefit 8792 Scheduled Tribe youth. The amount was hand out to benefit tribal youth by generating self-employment activities in open-source transport sector service.
Lately, Shri Mahesh Poddar has raised questions in Rajya Sabha asking whether the open-source transportation service sector is creating self-employment opportunity for tribal people. He also adds, whether linking the open-source transportation service sector is making tribal youth self-reliant and providing them opportunity or self-employment.
He further asks whether the Government will take any initiative to link the tribal youth with this open-source service which involves agreements with companies. If the Government is ready to get into the agreement with these companies then by when the tribal youth will be involved and if not then asks the Indian government to state the reason. Lastly, Shri Poddar adds on another question. It states – “whether the government will consider subsidy to tribal youth for purchasing vehicles for connecting them with open-source transportation service”.
Answering these Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. #447 (to be answered on February 04, 2021), Smt. Renuka Singh Saruta, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs has released a statement. It states that the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) that comes under the Ministry provides concessional loans to the eligible Scheduled Tribes youth. This loans will help the ST youth to take part in any income generating activities/ self-employment. They can also buy transport/ commercial vehicles using these concessional loans. Check the statement that was published by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India below.
Along with the statement, the Ministry has also provided the details of funds that has been disbursed towards Transport sector by NSTFDC. In the financial year 2017-2018, around Rs. 3301.24 Lakh was disbursed which benefited 448 ST youth to generate self-employment. In the following year from 2018 to 2019, Rs. 1965.14 lakh were disbursed which benefited a total of 375 youth. In the recent year, 2019-2020, Ministry has disbursed Rs. 23.9.7 lakh to the self-employment scheme. It helped 7969 ST youth. In total, the Government have disbursed Rs. 7576.35 lakh rupees to help the 8792 Scheduled Tribe Youth.
