Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan

1. At a Glance

• PM-JUGA (also branded Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan – DAJGUA) is a 5-year (FY 2024-25 to FY 2028-29) mission for saturation-mode socio-economic development of tribal-majority villages and aspirational tribal blocks. [1][2]
• Largest tribal-village development scheme in India's history with 25 interventions across 17 line ministries, anchored by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. [2]
• Critical for UPSC: budget speech announcement → Cabinet approval → PM launch sequence in 2024, plus convergence model and links to Article 342, Fifth/Sixth Schedules, and PESA/FRA architecture.

2. Why in the News

• 5 Feb 2026: Ministry of Tourism launched "Development of Homestays in Tribal Areas" as a sub-scheme of Swadesh Darshan under PM-JUGA, funding ₹5 lakh community + ₹5 lakh for 2 new rooms + ₹3 lakh for renovation per household. [5]
• Continues operationalisation since PM Modi's launch at Hazaribagh, Jharkhand on 2 October 2024. [3]

3. Background & Evolution

• 23 July 2024: Announced by FM Nirmala Sitharaman in Union Budget 2024-25. [1]
• 18 September 2024: Union Cabinet approved PM-JUGA. [1]
• 2 October 2024: PM Modi launched DAJGUA from Hazaribagh, Jharkhand (Gandhi Jayanti). [3]
• 15 November 2024 (Janjatiya Gaurav Divas / Birsa Munda 150th birth-anniversary year commencement): PM at Jamui, Bihar, inaugurated 30 Mobile Medical Units under DAJGUA and 23 MMUs under PM-JANMAN. [4]
• Predecessor/parallel: PM-JANMAN (Nov 2023) for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). [4]

4. Core Static Facts

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs. [2]
• Total Outlay: ₹79,156 crore (Centre ₹56,333 cr + States ₹22,823 cr). [2]
• Coverage: 63,843 tribal villages in 549 districts, 2,911 blocks, 30 States/UTs. [2]
• Beneficiaries: ~5 crore tribal persons (≈half of India's ST population). [2]
• Village eligibility (plains): population ≥ 500 with ≥ 50% ST population; aspirational tribal blocks also covered. [2]
• Interventions: 25, implemented by 17 line ministries (convergence model). [2]
• Constitutional anchors: Article 342 (notification of STs); Fifth & Sixth Schedules; PESA 1996; Forest Rights Act 2006 (relevant context).
• Sub-scheme example: Tribal Homestays under Swadesh Darshan (Ministry of Tourism, FY 2025-26). [5]

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Social

• Targets gaps in education, health, nutrition, housing for tribal households; saturation approach (not project mode). [2]
• Cultural preservation via tribal homestays promoting community-based responsible tourism. [5]

Economic

• Alternate livelihoods through tourism, Van Dhan, skilling; ₹13 lakh max per homestay household. [5]
• Convergence with PMAY-G, Jal Jeevan Mission, PMGSY, DDU-GKY under one umbrella. [2]

Administrative / Governance

• 17-ministry convergence is the central design innovation but also the biggest implementation risk (coordination, fund-flow tracking, GIS dashboard). [2]
• Centre-State funding ratio ~71:29 implies state buy-in is critical. [2]

Legal / Constitutional

• Operates within Fifth/Sixth Schedule areas; must respect Gram Sabha primacy under PESA, 1996 and FRA, 2006.

Historical / Symbolic

• Launch timed with Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct 2024) and dovetailed with Birsa Munda 150th birth anniversary (Nov 2024). [3][4]

6. Recent Developments (last 12–18 months)

• Sept 2024: Cabinet approval. [1]
• 2 Oct 2024: Launch at Hazaribagh. [3]
• 15 Nov 2024: 30 MMUs flagged off under DAJGUA from Jamui. [4]
• 2025-26: Tribal Homestay sub-scheme under Swadesh Darshan notified by Tourism Ministry. [5]

7. Prelims Hooks

• PM-JUGA announced in Union Budget 2024-25 by FM Nirmala Sitharaman. [1]
• Total outlay ₹79,156 crore; Centre share ₹56,333 cr, State share ₹22,823 cr. [2]
• Covers 63,843 villages, 549 districts, 2,911 blocks, 30 States/UTs. [2]
• Beneficiaries ≈ 5 crore tribal persons. [2]
• Mission period: FY 2024-25 to FY 2028-29 (5 years). [2]
• 25 interventions across 17 line ministries. [2]
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs (NOT Ministry of Rural Development). [2]
• Launched by PM at Hazaribagh, Jharkhand on 2 October 2024. [3]
• Alias: Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA) – "Dharti Aaba" refers to Birsa Munda. [3]
• Plains eligibility: village with ≥500 population & ≥50% ST. [2]
• Tribal Homestay sub-scheme is under Swadesh Darshan, Ministry of Tourism, FY 2025-26. [5]
• Homestay funding ceiling: ₹5 lakh community + ₹5 lakh new rooms + ₹3 lakh renovation. [5]
• Distinct from PM-JANMAN (which targets PVTGs specifically). [4]

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections (STs); inter-ministerial coordination; centre-state finances.
• GS-I: Tribal society, post-independence integration.
• GS-III: Inclusive growth, rural livelihoods.

Likely question stems:

1. "PM-JUGA represents a shift from project-based to saturation-based tribal development. Examine its design, convergence architecture, and implementation challenges." (GS-II)
2. "Compare PM-JANMAN and PM-JUGA in addressing the developmental deficits of India's tribal population." (GS-II)
3. "Discuss how community-based tourism interventions like the Tribal Homestay sub-scheme can balance livelihood and cultural preservation in Fifth Schedule areas." (GS-I/III)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• PM-JANMAN — sister scheme for PVTGs; frequently paired in MCQs.
• PESA Act, 1996 — governance framework in Scheduled Areas.
• Forest Rights Act, 2006 — individual/community forest rights.
• Fifth & Sixth Schedules — constitutional basis for tribal administration.
• Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) — converges under PM-JUGA.
• Van Dhan Yojana / TRIFED — tribal livelihood ecosystem.
• Swadesh Darshan 2.0 — parent of the Homestay sub-scheme.
• Aspirational Districts/Blocks Programme — overlapping target geographies.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Wrong ministry: It is Ministry of Tribal Affairs, not Rural Development or Panchayati Raj. [2]
• Conflating with PM-JANMAN: PM-JANMAN = PVTGs (75 groups); PM-JUGA = broader ST-majority villages. [4]
• Launch date confusion: Cabinet approval Sept 2024, PM launch 2 Oct 2024 at Hazaribagh — not 15 Nov (which was Birsa Munda Jayanti, Jamui). [3][4]
• Outlay split: ₹79,156 cr is Centre + State combined, not central-only. [2]
• Naming: PM-JUGA ≡ DAJGUA; "Dharti Aaba" = Birsa Munda's epithet, not a separate scheme. [3]
• Homestay sub-scheme sits under Swadesh Darshan / Tourism Ministry, even though PM-JUGA is anchored by Tribal Affairs. [5]