Health & SocialImportant2025-06-15

Launch of Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan

Q: Which of the following statements about the Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan is/are correct? 1. It is a nationwide campaign aimed at achieving 100 percent saturation of basic government schemes in tribal and PVTG habitations. 2. The term 'Dharti Aaba' refers to the tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda, whose 150th birth anniversary is being celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh.

Both 1 and 2 — Both statements are correct. The Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan focuses on the saturation of welfare schemes in tribal-majority villages and PVTG habitations. 'Dharti Aaba' translates to 'Father of the Earth', a title given to Bhagwan Birsa Munda, whose 150th birth anniversary is celebrated in 2025.

In News

What Happened

On June 15, 2025, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched the Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan, a massive nationwide campaign to saturate welfare schemes in over 63,000 tribal villages and PVTG habitations. The initiative utilizes village-level camps to deliver individual entitlements like Aadhaar, health cards, and sickle cell disease screening directly to tribal households. The outreach aligns with the Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda.

Why It Matters

This campaign operationalizes a convergence model by bringing 17 ministries together for last-mile delivery of basic rights to India's most marginalized communities. It shifts the governance approach from passive availability to active doorstep saturation, aiming for 100 percent coverage of tribal households by Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas in November 2025.

Background

History & Context

Scheduled Tribes in India historically faced geographic isolation and systemic marginalization, leading to the creation of targeted interventions like the Tribal Sub-Plan approach. The Dhebar Commission (1960-61) highlighted extreme backwardness among certain groups, prompting the eventual classification of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). Recent umbrella schemes like PM-JANMAN (2023) and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA) were introduced to address critical infrastructural gaps. The 2025 Janbhagidari Abhiyan acts as the on-ground saturation drive for these broader policy frameworks.

What Changed

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BEFORE: PVTGs and remote tribal communities had to navigate complex bureaucratic hurdles across various isolated departments to access basic welfare schemes. NOW: A whole-of-government convergence approach brings 17 ministries together, delivering services like Jan Dhan, Ayushman Bharat, and PM-KISAN directly via doorstep saturation camps.
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BEFORE: Healthcare interventions in tribal belts were often reactive, with many communities lacking proper diagnostics for endemic genetic disorders. NOW: The Abhiyan integrates proactive mass awareness, screening, and counseling for Sickle Cell Disease as a core component, directly aligning with the Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission 2047.
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BEFORE: Tribal development was primarily evaluated through an infrastructure lens (like roads and buildings) with slower, manual processing of individual entitlements. NOW: The campaign employs a 'Janbhagidari' (people's participation) model leveraging digital platforms and community volunteers to guarantee instant registration and processing of individual rights, including Forest Rights Act (FRA) claims.

Prelims Angle

NCERT Connection

In Class 12 Sociology (Indian Society), Chapter 3 'Social Institutions: Continuity and Change' discusses the integration versus isolation debate concerning tribal communities and their historical marginalization. The Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan exemplifies the modern state's integrationist approach, aiming to fold marginalized tribes into the mainstream development narrative through targeted affirmative action and saturation of civic rights without erasing their cultural identity.

Practice Questions

Q1

Correct Statement(s)

Which of the following statements about the Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan is/are correct? 1. It is a nationwide campaign aimed at achieving 100 percent saturation of basic government schemes in tribal and PVTG habitations. 2. The term 'Dharti Aaba' refers to the tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda, whose 150th birth anniversary is being celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh.

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