Parliamentary Panel Criticizes Tribal Affairs Ministry for Delay in Museum and School Projects

A parliamentary panel criticized the Tribal Affairs Ministry for delays in tribal museums and Eklavya Model Residential Schools. Out of 14 recommendations, the government accepted nine. The panel urges the ministry to address timelines and infrastructure, noting significant previously allocated funds have been used without adequate progress.

A parliamentary panel has criticized the Tribal Affairs Ministry for its prolonged delays in the development of tribal freedom fighters' museums and the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), a flagship initiative. The panel warned of potential cost increases and compromised goals due to unclear timelines and preconditions for state agreements.

According to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment's recent report, the ministry has been asked to provide more detailed replies on the slow progress. Only three of the proposed 11 museums across various states have been inaugurated. The delay in EMRS projects was equally concerning, with many schools functioning from rented spaces.

While the ministry has claimed high fund utilization to resolve these issues, including staffing and infrastructure development, the panel remains unimpressed. It strongly advised that future proposals must ensure land availability in advance to avoid further delays. The ministry is urged to establish concrete timelines to ensure transparency and accountability in project execution.