MoTA Secretary Takes Stock of Last-Mile Delivery of Tribal Welfare Schemes in Madhya Pradesh

Smt Ranjana Chopra, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), Government of India, accompanied by Sh Manish Thakur, Additional Secretary, MoTA, undertook an extensive field visit cum progress review across Indore division, Madhya Pradesh, today. The visit was aimed at assessing on-ground implementation of MoTA’s flagship schemes and interacting directly with tribal beneficiaries. The visiting team was joined by Gulshan Bamra, Principal Secretary, Tribal Welfare, Government of Madhya Pradesh, and other senior officials of the State Tribal Welfare Department.

The day began with a visit to the Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) Morod (PVTG), Indore. The Secretary interacted warmly with students and teachers of Classes 6th to 12th and witnessed digital smart classrooms in use for everyday teaching. Students spoke of their aspirations to become engineers, entrepreneurs and professionals in various fields — a heartening reflection of the quality residential education being provided to Scheduled Tribe (ST) children, particularly those from Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), under the PM-JANMAN and DA-JGUA umbrella.

The team then proceeded to the Bunkar Suvidha Kendra at Maheshwar, Khargone district, run by a Sahayata Samuh registered under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM). The Kendra is home to ST women engaged in weaving the famous Maheshwari Sarees, producing 1,000–2,000 sarees daily that reach markets through forward linkages facilitated by TRIFED, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Zilla Panchayats. The Secretary was informed that one of the weavers from the Kendra had recently walked the ramp at a fashion showcase in Delhi. The Secretary also met ST students, including a NEET-qualified aspirant, and interacted with Forest Rights Act (FRA) patta holders present at the Kendra.(UPDATED ON 20TH AUGUST 2026)