Reimagining Development From the Lens of Adivasi Realities

Most rural schemes in India are designed for the “average” village. But here’s the catch — tribal villages are not average. Their geographies are harder, their access is thinner, and their histories are deeper. So when mainstream programs fail to bridge the gap, what’s needed isn’t just an extension of existing schemes — it’s a fundamental reset.

Enter the Dharti Aba Janjati Utkarsh Gram Abhiyan, Madhya Pradesh’s bold, focused, and culturally anchored effort to rethink development from a tribal lens.

This isn't just a campaign. It’s a model for how to build dignity-first, equity-led rural systems that work where mainstream ones didn’t.

🧭 What is Dharti Aba Janjati Utkarsh Gram Abhiyan?

Launched by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in 2024, this campaign aims to transform tribal-dominated villages into “Utkarsh Grams” (model villages) — with focused investments in health, education, livelihoods, nutrition, and infrastructure.

The campaign is named after Dharti Aba Birsa Munda, the iconic tribal freedom fighter and social reformer. This name is not symbolic — it signals a governance shift rooted in tribal pride and ownership.

🧩 Why Was This Campaign Needed?

1. Tribal Villages Lag in Every Index

Despite decades of funding, ST-majority villages in MP continue to report lower indicators in:

  • Literacy and school completion

  • Institutional childbirth and maternal health

  • Electrification and road access

  • Livelihood diversity and nutrition

2. Schemes Didn’t Fit Tribal Realities

One-size-fits-all welfare models often failed because:

  • Health sub-centres are too far

  • Teachers avoid postings in remote schools

  • PDS access breaks down in hilly terrains

  • Traditional skills and tribal practices aren’t integrated into livelihood planning

3. Need for Focused, Convergent Action

Scattered departmental efforts don’t work in isolated areas. The campaign is about converging 20+ flagship schemes into one tight, time-bound mission village by village.

🎯 Campaign Objectives

  • 🚿 100% access to clean water and sanitation

  • 🎓 Functional schools and Anganwadis in every tribal cluster

  • 👩‍⚕️ Doorstep health services with community-based health workers

  • 🌾 Livelihood planning based on local agro-climatic context

  • 🛤️ Improved connectivity, solar lighting, and digital access

  • 🧬 Nutrition security via millet-based diets and home gardens

  • 🌱 Eco-restoration using traditional forest knowledge

In short, each village becomes a circular, resilient ecosystem — not just a beneficiary list.

🔧 How It Works: Campaign Structure

1. Village Selection

From each tribal block, villages are selected based on:

  • ST population ratio (above 75%)

  • Backwardness index

  • Service gaps in health, education, PDS, electrification

Each selected village becomes an “Utkarsh Gram”.

2. One-Village-One-Plan

Each Utkarsh Gram develops a micro-plan through Jan Bhagidari (public participation). The plan includes:

  • Gap mapping of 20+ essential indicators

  • Traditional resource use

  • Local strengths (like crafts, medicinal plants, bamboo, etc.)

3. Departmental Convergence

Departments like Tribal Affairs, Rural Development, Health, Education, and Forest are assigned joint deliverables. Work is reviewed monthly at the district level and quarterly at the state level.

4. Real-Time Dashboards

An Utkarsh Gram Dashboard tracks every milestone in real time — electrification, school attendance, immunization, SHG formation, ration delivery, etc.

📍 Focus on Madhya Pradesh: What’s Happening on the Ground

Madhya Pradesh is home to 21% of India’s tribal population and has several ST-majority districts like Alirajpur, Jhabua, Mandla, Dindori, and Barwani.

As of 2025:

  • 🏡 2,000 tribal villages identified as Utkarsh Grams

  • 🏫 1,200 remote primary schools re-opened with local teachers

  • 🥣 Nutrition gardens set up in 5,000 homes

  • 🌞 8,000+ solar street lights installed in hilly tribal hamlets

  • 👩‍🌾 2,500 women-led SHGs trained in bamboo craft, lac farming, and millet processing

  • 📲 Digital empowerment using MP's Jan Seva app in 60% of selected villages

In places like Kanha buffer zone villages, tribal ecotourism is being revived through forest-based homestays — creating income while preserving culture.

🧠 Tribal Culture, Central to the Campaign

A big shift in this campaign is the integration of tribal knowledge systems:

  • 🌾 Millets like kodo-kutki and forest herbs are back in Anganwadi menus

  • 🎭 Tribal dance, song, and folklore are part of school curricula

  • 🌿 Herbal health practices are being documented for AYUSH convergence

  • 👣 Traditional water harvesting systems (chaals, haveli tanks) are revived

This isn’t tokenism. It’s systemic validation of tribal heritage in public policy.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who is eligible to benefit from this scheme?

All households in the identified tribal-majority villages that are part of the campaign will receive benefits based on micro-plans.

2. How are villages selected?

The Tribal Development Department, in coordination with the District Collector, selects villages based on:

  • Tribal population share

  • Service gap index

  • Geographic inaccessibility

3. Can villagers participate in planning?

Yes. Every Utkarsh Gram plan is co-created through Gram Sabhas and participatory workshops. Local youth, SHGs, and elders play key roles.

4. Is this different from Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana?

Yes. While VBKY is a centrally funded program, Dharti Aba Janjati Utkarsh Gram Abhiyan is a state-specific, time-bound, high-focus mission unique to MP, though it aligns with national goals.

5. How can I track development in my village?

Progress is updated on the Utkarsh Gram Dashboard, accessible through Jan Seva Kendras and district offices.

🌄 Final Thoughts: Not Just a Scheme, But a Signal

The Dharti Aba Janjati Utkarsh Gram Abhiyan is a quiet revolution in development thinking. Instead of asking tribal communities to fit into top-down models, it’s building models around their strengths, needs, and identities.

It’s not just about roads and rations. It’s about restoring dignity, reclaiming knowledge, and ensuring that “vikas” (development) doesn’t mean erasing the past, but evolving with it.

As the world talks about decolonizing development, Madhya Pradesh may just be showing the rest of India — and the world — how it’s done, from the ground up.

Read about Chief Minister Sugam Parivahan Yojana - here

Got more questions about Indian government processes and schemes? Ask Jaankaar Bharat​