In Lok Sabha, the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Tribal Affairs Shri Durgadas Uikey replying today to an un-starred question of Dr. Manna Lal Rawat informed that as per Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 (as amended upto Amendment Series no. 382, dated 3rd July, 2025), the mandate assigned to Ministry of Tribal Affairs is given in Annexure-A. Prior to formation of Ministry of Tribal Affairs in 1999, the responsibility of supervising and implementing tribal development-related activities was lying with Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. The relevant extracts of 243^rd amendment of Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 relating to formation of Ministry of Tribal Affairs is given as Annexure-B.

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) is a constitutional body constituted under Article 338A of the Constitution of India. As per Article 338 A(4) the Commission shall have the power to regulate its own procedure. Copy of the Constitution (Eighty-ninth Amendment) Act, 2003 is given as Annexure-C.

Annexure-A

Mandate of Ministry of Tribal Affairs

1. Social security and social insurance with respect to the Scheduled Tribes.

2. Tribal Welfare : Tribal welfare planning, project formulation, research, evaluation, statistics and training.

3. Promotion and development of voluntary efforts on tribal welfare.

4. Scheduled Tribes, including scholarship to students belonging to such tribes.

5. Development of Scheduled Tribes.

5A. All matters including legislation relating to the rights of forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes on forest lands.

NOTE:-The Ministry of Tribal Affairs shall be the nodal Ministry for overall policy, planning and coordination of programmes of development for the Scheduled Tribes. In regard to sectoral programmes and schemes of development of these communities policy, planning, monitoring, evaluation etc. as also their coordination will be the responsibility of the concerned Central Ministries/ Departments, State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. Each Central Ministry/Department will be the nodal Ministry or Department concerning its sector.

6. (a) Scheduled Areas;

(b) regulations framed by the Governors of States for Scheduled Areas.

7. (a) Commission to report on the administration of Scheduled Areas and the welfare of the Scheduled Tribes; and

(b) issue of directions regarding the drawing up and execution of schemes essential for the welfare of the Scheduled Tribes in any State.

8. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.

9. Implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 (22 of 1955) and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (33 of 1989), excluding administration of criminal justice in regard to offences in so far as they relate to Scheduled Tribes.

10. Monitoring of Tribal Sub-Plan, based on the framework and mechanism designed by NITI Aayog.

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RN

(Release ID: 2150805)