After reaching out to millions of unskilled persons across rural India through the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), the centre now looks set to bring the tribals in its fold. The rural development ministry has constituted a working group for formulating models of converging NREGA with the schemes of the tribal affairs ministry.

“The objective is to examine the modalities of convergence of various programmes of the ministry of tribal affairs with NREGA for the furtherance of the common objectives of different programmes that is generation of sustainable livelihood and income for the rural households belonging to the tribal community,” notes an order issued by the rural development ministry on July 9.

The working group will suggest working model pilot projects through which the productivity of the tribal people can be enhanced.

There are several programmes run by the tribal affairs ministry which have a direct bearing on generation of rural livelihoods -- the principal objective of NREGA. Some of these programmes are special central assistance for tribal development, development of primitive tribal groups, and the scheme of market development of tribal products.

At present there is no coordination between the implementing agencies at the field level to converge these schemes for the maximum benefit of the tribal rural household. The working group will deliberate on the means to converge these schemes with NREGA. It will submit its report to the rural development ministry within a period of two months from the date issue of the order.