UP govt campaigns to fast-track holistic development of tribal communities

The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday rolled out two landmark campaigns — Dharti Aba Janjati Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan and Dharti Aba Janbhagidari Abhiyan — to fast-track the holistic development of tribal communities in the state.

Launched originally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, 2024, in Hazaribagh (Jharkhand), these initiatives will, by November 15, deliver 25 targeted welfare schemes to every eligible beneficiary in 517 villages across 26 districts and 47 development blocks in Uttar Pradesh.

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This initiative is set to be a milestone in bringing tribal communities into the mainstream. As part of the campaign, all eligible people will receive essential benefits like Aadhaar cards, Ayushman Bharat health cards, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, Jan Dhan accounts, scholarships, and social security schemes on a mission-mode basis. 

According to the Social Welfare Department officials here on Tuesday, the districts selected under the Dharti Aba Janjati Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan include Ambedkar Nagar, Bahraich, Ballia, Balrampur, Barabanki, Basti, Bhadohi, Bijnor, Chandauli, Deoria, Ghazipur, Gorakhpur, Jaunpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Kushinagar, Lalitpur, Maharajganj, Mahoba, Mirzapur, Pilibhit, Prayagraj, Sant Kabir Nagar, Shravasti, Siddharth Nagar, Sitapur, and Sonbhadra.

This campaign was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, 2024. Its aim is to make sure that over 63,000 tribal villages and aspirational districts across the country receive benefits from 25 special schemes run by 18 different departments. These include Rural Development, Water and Sanitation, Energy, Health and Family Welfare, Food and Civil Supplies, Women and Child Welfare, Secondary Education, AYUSH, Information Technology and Electronics, Skill Development, Agriculture, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Panchayati Raj, Tourism, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Institutional Finance department.

Additionally, between June 15 and June 30, special camps will be held under the Dharti Aba Janbhagidari Abhiyan in 549 tribal-majority districts and 207 districts with Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). These camps will help connect people with these schemes and encourage their active participation, which will support self-reliance in these communities.

Principal Secretary of the Social Welfare Department, L. Venkateshwarlu, has instructed all departments to quickly verify data from the selected villages and ensure that the benefits of these schemes reach every last person. This coordinated effort will help improve infrastructure as well as health, education, and livelihoods. He added that the Yogi government’s “Last Mile, First Priority” approach is central to this campaign.

The focus is on timely implementation and spreading awareness so that no eligible person is left out. Organizing these camps is a unique way to empower local communities and will also help preserve tribal culture and traditions.

He appealed to the public to take part in this campaign and contribute to tribal development. 

“This is not just a government project—it is a people’s movement supported by all sections of society. The Yogi government believes that tribal progress is the foundation of the state’s overall growth, and this campaign is a strong step in that direction,” he stated.