The Government of India’s focus on PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) is driving transformative change across Jharkhand’s remote tribal regions, where initiatives like Didi Ki Dukaan and improved infrastructure are empowering communities, enhancing livelihoods, and ensuring holistic development.
During a national seminar on the development of PVTG communities, NITI Aayog Secretary Ranjana Chopra emphasized the need to achieve household saturation in PVTG areas. She said the time has come to take concrete steps toward ensuring that every tribal household benefits from government schemes.
Chopra stated that villages lacking road connectivity must be included under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and implemented through MNREGA to create employment for local residents. “Connectivity must be developed in such a way that hospitals, schools, and cities are easily accessible from every household,” she said.
She added that the PVTG welfare scheme launched in 2018 has started showing visible impact, with several villages now achieving saturation under tap water, electrification, and road construction schemes. Jharkhand, among other states, has demonstrated remarkable progress.
Chopra also announced that Anganwadi centers will soon be set up in all hamlets with a population of at least 100 people. Additionally, creches will be established to support working tribal women. She directed officials to prepare a detailed data map of ongoing and pending works in Jharkhand’s PVTG areas to identify gaps in implementation.
“Self-Reliance Through Development Is the Core Goal”
NITI Aayog Additional Secretary and Mission Director Rohit Kumar highlighted that the PVTG scheme represents a vision for the holistic development of India’s most marginalized tribal communities. “This mission aims to connect underdeveloped tribal regions with the mainstream,” he said.
He emphasized that building a “Viksit Bharat” requires collective effort and that the upliftment of tribal communities must be achieved through continuous ground-level work. “The goal of the PVTG Mission is not just to deliver basic amenities but to empower communities economically, socially, and educationally, making them truly self-reliant,” he added.
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Mukesh Kumar, Secretary of Planning and Development, Government of Jharkhand, noted that despite challenging terrain, Jharkhand has achieved remarkable success in tribal welfare through effective implementation of the PVTG Mission. He said, “Under the guidance of the Chief Minister Hemant Soren and NITI Aayog, the state is ensuring that no primitive tribal community remains excluded from mainstream development.”
He cited the innovative ‘Dakhiya Yojana’ (Postman Scheme) as a breakthrough model that delivers essential supplies, nutrition, and medicines directly to the doorsteps of people in remote villages, significantly improving living conditions.
Mukesh Kumar also stated that in several PVTG blocks, schemes for road connectivity, housing, drinking water, electricity, and education are being executed in saturation mode, showing visible improvements in child education, maternal and child health, and employment generation.
“Didi Ki Dukaan” and “Didi Ka Dhaba” Set New Examples of Women Empowerment
One of the flagship initiatives, “Didi Ki Dukaan”, has become a model of economic empowerment and rural entrepreneurship among women of PVTG communities. Departmental presentations at the seminar highlighted how the initiative is strengthening livelihoods through women-led self-help groups (SHGs).
Under the program, women’s groups have opened small convenience stores in remote areas with financial support ranging from ₹30,000 to ₹1 lakh. Currently, 1,276 Didi Ki Dukaan outlets are operational across Jharkhand, including 386 villages where such shops have opened for the first time.
Earlier, people in these regions had to walk up to four kilometers to buy essential goods. Now, the shops have brought daily necessities within reach. Each shop earns an average monthly income of ₹9,100, substantially improving women’s financial stability.
Additionally, “Didi Ka Dhaba” has been launched in 113 villages, creating new employment opportunities while fostering dignity and self-reliance among rural women. These initiatives, officials said, are not only strengthening the local economy but also becoming a bridge for social transformation in primitive tribal regions.
“Didi Ki Dukaan Is a Symbol of Social Change and Empowerment”
The seminar titled “Super 60” featured prominent dignitaries including Padma Shri awardees Madhu Mansuri, Jamuna Tudu, Siman Oraon, Jageshwar Yadav, and Kami Murmu. Senior officials like Additional Mission Director Anand Shekhar, Tribal Welfare Secretary Kripanand Jha, Planning and Development Secretary Mukesh Kumar, Special Secretary Rajeev Ranjan, and representatives from Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Jharkhand were also present.
