In a bid to check dropouts and raise literacy among tribals, the centre is planning to spend Rs 1,000 crore on them for education in the next fiscal, Union Tribal Affairs minister Kantilal Bhuria said here on Wednesday.

"The centre is planning to spend Rs 1,000 crore for tribal education during the next fiscal," said Bhuria after inaugurating a seminar here on 'We and our tribes: Caring culture and shairing throughts'.

Stating that most of the funds would be spent on building residential 'ekalavya' schools for tribal students, he said Rs 12 to Rs 16 crore would be spent on each hostel.

Each hostel having a capacity of 320 seats -- 160 each for girls and boys, would come up in different districts.

The minister said plans were also afoot to double the scholarship for tribal students.

This apart, the centre would help tribal students who want to pursue higher education abroad, he said.

Replying a question on frequent tribal-Dalit clashes in Orissa, Bhuria attributed lack of education as the reason behind it.