Initiatives to Promote Tribal Culture

• 31 Jul 2021

Why in News

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is administrating the schemes of “Support of Tribal Research Institute” and “Tribal Festival, Research, Information and Mass Education” under which various activities to promote tribal culture have been undertaken.

• The schemes aim to ensure quality and uniformity in research works, evaluation studies, training, awareness generation among tribals, showcasing of rich tribal heritage including languages, habitats and cultivation and production practices.

Key Points

• Key Highlights:
  
  • Museum for Tribal Freedom Fighters:
    
    • To acknowledge the heroic and patriotic deeds of tribal people, the Ministry has sanctioned setting up 10 Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum.
  • Documentation of Indigenous Practices:
    
    • Research and documentation of Indigenous practices by tribal healers and medicinal plants, Adivasi Languages, agriculture system, dances and paintings etc.
  • Digital Repository:
    
    • To preserve and promote rich tribal cultural heritage and also to create awareness among others, a searchable digital repository has been developed.
  • Funding for Tribal Festivals:
    
    • The Ministry gives funding to TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India) for organizing Adi Mahotsav festivals at National level and state level.
• Other Initiatives Related to Tribals:
  
  • Digital Transformation of Tribal Schools: In the first phase, 250 EMRS schools have been adopted by Microsoft, out of which 50 EMRS schools will be given intensive training and 500 master trainers would be trained.
  • Development of PVTGs: It covers 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) for their comprehensive socio-economic development.
  • Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana: It is a market-linked tribal entrepreneurship development program for forming clusters of tribal Self Help Groups (SHGs) and strengthening them into Tribal Producer Companies.

TRIFED

• It is a national-level apex organization functioning under the administrative control of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• TRIFED acts as a facilitator and service provider for tribes to sell their product.
• TRIFED aims to empower tribal people with knowledge, tools and pool of information so that they can undertake their operations in a more systematic and scientific manner.
• It organises Tribal Artisan Melas (TAMs) to identify new artisans and new products at the sourcing level in States/Districts/Villages for expanding the tribal producers base.
• It is also involved in MSP for MFP and TRIFOOD Schemes.

Source: PIB