President Draupadi Murmu on Wednesday virtually inaugurated a series of tribal development initiatives, including 75 space laboratories at Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) and specialized training at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, as the Center unveiled an ambitious roadmap to strengthen tribal governance institutions across the country.
The initiatives were launched during the National Meeting on Strengthening Integrated Tribal Development Agencies and Projects (ITDAs/ITDPs), organized by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The meeting brought together senior officials from tribal development agencies, state governments and the Center to discuss institutional reforms aimed at improving service delivery in tribal areas.
In her address, President Murmu reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring inclusive development and said that tribal communities must remain central in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation. She also opened a documentary entitled Bab sabsi sabsi bihli.
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The Ministry said that 75 space laboratories, distributed over 18 states, were established with financial support of about $12 crore from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) under its CSR programme. Developed under the guidance of ISRO-recognized agencies, the labs are expected to benefit around 50,000 tribal students by promoting hands-on learning in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
Addressing the gathering, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said the government is exploring a dedicated framework for capacity building of ITDA officials to equip them with modern governance skills, digital tools and exposure to best practices. He stressed the need for structural reforms in staffing, financing and accountability mechanisms within tribal development agencies.
Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Oike stressed that key programs such as Darti Apa Gangatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan and PM-JANMAN have contributed significantly to expanding financial allocations to tribal areas, making strong institutional capacity essential for effective last-mile delivery.
One of the main features of the conclave was the presentation of a draft short, medium and long-term roadmap for strengthening ITDAs and ITDPs. The roadmap, prepared after consultations in several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat, focuses on human resources, utilization of funds, convergence of schemes, monitoring systems and technology-enabled governance.
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The Ministry also outlined plans to deploy artificial intelligence-based tools to monitor, track beneficiaries, and address grievances within a governance framework aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability. The meeting concluded with the presentation of a national diagnostic framework to evaluate 214 ITDs across 17 states and union territories and awards recognizing the best performing agencies for excellence in service delivery and community outreach.
