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Published on: Aug 17, 2026

Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Scheme

The tribal sub-scheme is a 100% grant from the Government of India (GoI) that was established in 1977. The scheme was introduced as an addition to already existing State plans that are assigned for tribal development. The purpose of the scheme is to improve the standard of living of tribal communities and bring equality between them and other parts of the society.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs shall monitor the grant allotted by the GoI. The funds will be added to the following divisions

  • Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP)
  • Modified Area Development Approach (MADA)
  • Clusters and
  • Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG)

Objectives

The objectives of the Tribal Sub Scheme include the following:

  • Solidify efforts towards tribal development
  • Human resource development
  • Increase education, economic stability and health services
  • Reduction of poverty and unemployment
  • Creation of productive assets
  • Create job or business opportunities
  • Chance to gain rights and entitlements
  • Improved facilities and infrastructure for economic developments
  • Protection from exploitation and oppression

Allocation of Funds

The funds shall be used for the following

S. No.

Sector

Allotted Fund Percentage

1

Education

40-50%

2

Health

10-15%

3

Agriculture, Horticulture and Husbandry

20-30%

4

Income generated by other schemes

10-15%

5

Administration

<5-10%

Application Process

Organisations that working for the development of Scheduled Tribes can submit their applications to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The application must be approved by the Project Appraisal Committee (PAC) and the Executive Committee under Chief Secretary. The following details need to be covered:

  • Plan formulation
  • Plan documentation
  • TSP funds required
  • Deficit areas where the funds can help Scheduled Tribes

Eligibility

The funds under the scheme are allocated to the following group of Scheduled Tribes. Communities that fall under the below-mentioned groups can seek assistance.

Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP): Any district that has more than 50% of its population from the Scheduled Tribes category is eligible for this project. More than ITDP block can exist in a district.

Modified Area Development Approach (MADA): Villages with a population of 10,000 or consisting of STs with 50% or more

Clusters: With a population of 5,000 or more that consist of STs with 50% or more

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG): Isolated communities with stagnating population growth, low levels of literacy and equipped with pre-level agricultural equipment.

Fund Usage

Preference is given to the institutions investing in applying for the following departments:

  • Vocational Training Centers for Education and Skill Development
  • Ashram Schools
  • Sponsored hostels for ST boys and ST girls
  • NGO projects
  • Eklavya Model Residential Schools

In addition to the above organisations, livelihood support is also offered as part of the scheme, which includes the following:

  • Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce (MFP)
  • Support for development and marketing of tribal produce
  • Support for National/State Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporations (STFDCs) and National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC)

Compliance

  • The State Tribal Department will monitor all activities and control fund allocation. The allocation of funds has to be spent at reasonable levels. All services offered to Scheduled Tribes through the use of these funds need to maintain the service delivery standards set by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
  • Line departments also shall monitor tribal Sub-Plan progress.
  • Executive Committee monitors progress in intervals and reviews the performance of undertaken projects.
  • Monthly and Quarterly reports need to be submitted to the State-Tribal Sub-Plan committee.

States Covered by the Scheme

States that are covered by the scheme include:

S. No.

States

1

Andhra Pradesh

2

Assam

3

Bihar

4

Chhattisgarh

5

Goa

6

Gujarat

7

Himachal Pradesh

8

Jammu and Kashmir

9

Jharkhand

10

Kerala

11

Madhya Pradesh

12

Maharashtra

13

Manipur

14

Odisha

15

Rajasthan

16

Sikkim

17

Tamil Nadu

18

Telangana

19

Tripura

20

Uttar Pradesh

21

Uttarakhand

22

West Bengal

Tribal Majority areas from Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Union Territories that are not covered by SCA to TSP.

Since Haryana and Punjab do not have any Scheduled Tribes, the two states are excluded.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Scheme.

The Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Scheme is a 100% grant from the Government of India (GoI) that was established in 1977. It aims to improve the standard of living of tribal communities and bring equality between them and other parts of society. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs monitors the grant allotted by the GoI.
The main objectives of the Tribal Sub Scheme include solidifying efforts towards tribal development, human resource development, increasing education, economic stability and health services, reducing poverty and unemployment, creating productive assets and job opportunities, providing a chance to gain rights and entitlements, and improving facilities and infrastructure for economic developments.
The funds under the Tribal Sub Scheme are allocated as follows: 40-50% for education, 10-15% for health, 20-30% for agriculture, horticulture and husbandry, 10-15% for income generated by other schemes, and less than 5-10% for administration.
Organizations working for the development of Scheduled Tribes can submit their applications to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The application must be approved by the Project Appraisal Committee (PAC) and the Executive Committee under Chief Secretary, providing details such as plan formulation, plan documentation, TSP funds required, and deficit areas where the funds can help Scheduled Tribes.
The funds under the scheme are allocated to Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) areas with more than 50% ST population, Modified Area Development Approach (MADA) villages with 10,000 or more ST population, clusters with 5,000 or more ST population, and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) with isolated communities and stagnating population growth.
Preference is given to institutions investing in vocational training centers, Ashram schools, sponsored hostels for ST boys and ST girls, NGO projects, and Eklavya Model Residential Schools. Additionally, livelihood support is also offered, including Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce (MFP), support for development and marketing of tribal produce, and support for National/State Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporations (STFDCs).
The State Tribal Department monitors all activities and fund allocation under the Tribal Sub Scheme. The allocation of funds has to be spent at reasonable levels, and all services offered to Scheduled Tribes must maintain the service delivery standards set by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Line departments also monitor the progress of the Tribal Sub-Plan, and the Executive Committee reviews the performance of undertaken projects.
The states covered by the scheme include Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal, as well as tribal majority areas from Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Union Territories not covered by SCA to TSP.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs monitors the grant allotted by the Government of India (GoI) under the Tribal Sub Scheme. It also sets the service delivery standards that need to be maintained for all services offered to Scheduled Tribes through the use of these funds.
Yes, the states of Haryana and Punjab are excluded from the Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Scheme as they do not have any Scheduled Tribes.