Among the various measures announced by the Modi government in recent months include Rs 24,000 crore scheme allocated under the Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups mission. The scheme is aimed at providing basic facilities such as education, health, and livelihood to the community living on the margins. Analysts say BJP’s optics around appointing the first President from the tribal community have helped to strengthen its support among the community.Other steps such as raising the Budget allocation from Rs 4,295.94 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 12,461.88 crore in 2023-24 and the setting up of Eklavya schools for ST students have given an edge to the BJP.Analysts say that the welfare steps by the Centre were one of the reasons that the BJP was able to beat anti-incumbency in the recent MP Assembly elections. The BJP won 26 of the 47 reserved ST constituencies.In Chhattisgarh, of the 29 ST reserved seats, the BJP won 17 while the Congress 11. But in 2018, the Congress won 25 ST seats and the BJP only 3. In Rajasthan, the BJP made major gains by winning 12 of the 25 ST reserved seats. The three states were won by the Congress in 2018 mainly with the help of tribal votes.Stung by the defeat in the assembly elections, the Congress is also going all-out to sway the tribal vote bank with the promise of five guarantees to protect forests and the tribal land. The guarantees include setting up a national mission for implementation of the Forest Rights Act through a dedicated forest rights division, a separate budget and settling the pending FRA claims. To reach out to the community, the Congress also assured that all amendments made by the Modi government to the Forest Conservation Act and Land Acquisition Act, which have caused such great distress to Adivasis, will be “withdrawn”.
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