Tribal Homestays

On 18th September 2024, the Union Cabinet approved a significant package aimed at enhancing tourism in tribal areas, providing up to Rs. 5 lakh to tribal households and villages for developing tourist homestays under the Swadesh Darshan scheme.

This initiative is designed to leverage the tourist potential of tribal regions and provide alternative livelihoods.

Key points

Overview of the PMJUGA Package: The proposal is part of the Pradhan Mantri-Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PMJUGA), which encompasses 25 interventions targeting 63,000 Scheduled Tribe-majority villages.
The overall funding for PMJUGA amounts to ₹79,156 crore over five years, with a Central share of ₹56,333 crore.
Tourism and Economic Empowerment: The scheme will facilitate the creation of five to 10 homestays in each selected tribal village, aiming for a total of 1,000 homestays. Households can receive ₹5 lakh for new constructions or ₹3 lakh for renovations, in addition to ₹5 lakh allocated for community requirements.
Agricultural and Infrastructure Initiatives: PMJUGA also focuses on sustainable agricultural practices for Forest Rights Act (FRA) patta holders, targeting around 22 lakh individuals with support programs in agriculture and livestock.
Infrastructure improvements will include the construction of 20 lakh pucca homes, 25,000 km of roads, and electrification of 2.35 lakh households.
Health and Education Goals: The initiative aims to improve healthcare access with the establishment of mobile medical units and anganwadi centres, alongside promoting education through increased enrollment ratios and ensuring that Ayushman cards are distributed to households.
Commitment to Tribal Development: The PMJUGA is designed to create sustainable socio-economic development and enhance living standards in tribal areas.