Focused planning and sustained efforts of government transforming tribal regions into hubs of opportunity

Shimla Dec 21

The State Government under the guidance of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is firmly committed to ensure balanced, inclusive and sustainable development of the State’s tribal regions. With tribal communities constituting about 5.71 percent of the State’s population, their social and economic welfare has been placed at the core of the government’s development agenda.

To ensure focused and outcome-oriented growth, nine per cent of the total State Plan has been earmarked under the Tribal Area Development Programme. Over the past three years alone, a provision of Rs. 2,386.15 crore has been made for tribal areas under this programme which reflect the strong resolve of the government to bridge regional disparities and bring tribal regions into the mainstream of development. For the financial year 2025-26, an additional provision of Rs. 638.73 crore has been made under the programme.

A landmark initiative was undertaken on 15 April 2025, when Pangi valley was declared the first Natural Farming Sub-Division of the State. To strengthen farm incomes, the State Government also began procuring barley produced by Pangi farmers at a Minimum Support Price of Rs. 60 per kilogram. Around 40 metric tonnes of barley have already been procured, ensuring assured income to local cultivators. Giving priority to Scheduled Areas, the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh-Samman Nidhi Yojna was launched in Spiti in February 2024.

Creating employment and self-employment opportunities for youth remains a top priority of the government. To generate livelihoods through the transport sector in tribal areas, the State Government has announced a subsidy of up to 40 percent for eligible youth on the purchase of buses and traveler vehicles, along with an exemption from road tax for four months. To promote self-employment in the renewable energy sector, interest subsidies of five percent are being provided for setting up private solar power projects ranging from 100 KW to two MW in tribal regions.

Infrastructure development has received strong momentum, with nearly Rs. 476 crore spent on transport, roads, bridges and buildings in tribal regions over the last three years. A total of 3,148 kilometers of motor-able roads have been constructed in tribal areas, of which about 61 percent have been paved. The Chief Minister has directed officers to complete a tender process for development works in snow-bound areas at the earliest so that construction activities can commence from March-April as soon as weather conditions improve. To strengthen uninterrupted connectivity in Kinnaur, a new road will be constructed at Nigulsari, a major bottleneck and landslide-prone sinking zone on National Highway-5.