Parliament Question: Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) in Andhra Pradesh

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 204 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.01.2026 TRIBAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES (TRIS) IN ANDHRA PRADESH

204. SHRI BASTIPATI NAGARAJU:

SHRI LAVU SRI KRISHNA DEVARAYALU:

SHRI DAGGUMALLA PRASADA RAO:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has assessed impact and effectiveness of Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) in socio-economic development, cultural preservation and research initiatives, if so, the key findings of such assessments;

(b) the funds allocated, released and utilized by each Tribal Research Institute (TRI) under Support to TRIs scheme during the last five years, year-wise and State-wise, especially for Andhra Pradesh including their location;

(c) whether the Government has identified any gaps in research or infrastructure of TRIs and if so, the corrective measures taken to strengthen these Institutes;

(d) the total number of research studies and training programmes conducted by TRIs during the last five years along with the details of projects undertaken in Andhra Pradesh for tribal welfare and cultural documentation; and

(e) whether there are plans to expand or upgrade Tribal Research Institutes with improved data-driven governance models and language preservation initiatives particularly in Andhra Pradesh and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATES FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI DURGADAS UIKEY)

(a) Yes, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs periodically reviews the performance of Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) through meetings, monitoring of implementation of approved projects, utilisation certificates, progress reports, physical visits of TRIs, and evaluation of outputs. An extensive evaluation study was also conducted by the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog for which report was submitted in October

2025. This evaluation report highlighted that the scheme aligns strongly with constitutionalmandates for research and documentation on tribal matters. TRIs have played a pivotal role in preserving traditional knowledge and supporting policy formulation. However, their capacity varies widely across states. It was recommended to strengthen institutional capacity of TRIs through targeted resource allocation and standardization of research guidelines across states.

Besides, it was advised collaborations with universities and international development agencies for co-funded research should be encouraged.

(b) Presently, Ministry of Tribal Affairs is funding 29 Tribal Research Institutes under the Scheme ‘Support to Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs)’. The core responsibility of TRIs is to function as a body of knowledge & research and as a think tank for tribal development and preservation of art and culture of tribal people with repository of information pertaining to tribal communities, their society and culture and critical areas of concern. Within the set of TRIs, there are tribal museum, library, training centre, research wing etc. TRIs have carried out various activities viz. research studies, evaluation studies, organization of training/seminar/workshop, organization of tribal fairs and festivals, baseline survey, publications, documentaries/ documentation, organization of exchange visits etc. over the years. The list of TRIs is at Annexure-I.

Tribal Research Institute(s) submit to the Ministry annual detailed action plan with budgetary requirement through respective State Tribal Welfare Department. Funds are sanctioned to the State Government on need basis and with the approval of Apex Committee chaired by the Secretary, Tribal Affairs. Details of funds released to TRIs including TRI, Andhra Pradesh under the Scheme of ‘Support to Tribal Research Institutes’ during the period from 2020-21 to 2024-25 is given at Annexure-II.

(c) Yes, this Ministry has identified gaps relating to research capacity, infrastructure, digitisation, and manpower in TRIs. Corrective measures include financial assistance for infrastructure upgradation, support for digitization of records and research outputs, strengthening of human resources and technical expertise, and Encouraging collaborations with academic and research institutions

(d) TRIs have conducted 399 research studies and 467 training programmes during the last five years. The details of research projects and training programmes conducted by TRI in Andhra Pradesh for tribal welfare and cultural documentation are given at Annexure-III.

(e) Yes, there are active plans to strengthen, upgrade, and support Tribal Research Institutes

(TRIs) across India, including Andhra Pradesh, through the centrally sponsored scheme "Support to Tribal Research Institutes". The focus is on enhancing infrastructural capacity, data-driven policy research, and language preservation. The following initiatives have been

taken by the Government for the purpose:

The Tribal Cultural Research & Training Mission (TCR&TM) in Andhra Pradesh has developed a roadmap through the Centre for Innovations in Public Systems (CIPS) to enhance its activities. Database created for tribal artists, artisans and cultural artists. Tribal Artists & Artisans are sent to the state and national level tribal fairs and festivals to exhibit and for sale tribal arts and crafts. Further, to preserve tribal languages, primers are developedin 6 tribal languages (Savara, Kuvi, Konda, Koya, Adivasi Oriya and Sugali). TRIs are actively involved in preserving indigenous tribal languages through the preparation of bilingual dictionaries and trilingual proficiency modules. Besides, data-driven approaches are integrated into tribal development planning, utilizing dashboards developed by the Centre of Excellence of Data Analytics (CEDA) for monitoring schemes.Annexure-I List of Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) Sl. Address No.

1 Tribal Research Institute, Government of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Administration, Port Blair – 744 101 2 Tribal Research Institute, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Tribal Welfare Department, Kandhari Hotel Road, Revenue Colony, Vijayawada- 520 010 3 Tribal Research Institute, Department of Social Justice &Empowerment &Tribal Affairs, Behind Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, B-Sector. Naharlagun, Pin: 791110, Arunachal Pradesh.

4 Assam Institute of Research for Tribals& Scheduled Castes, Government of Assam, Jawahar Nagar, N.H. – 37, Guwahati-781022 5 Tribal Research & Training Institute Govt. of Chhattisgarh, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay Nagar, Sector-4, Raipur 6 Tribal Research & Training Institute, Gujarat Vidyapith, Ashram Road, Ahmedabad-380014, Gujarat 7 Institute of Tribal Studies Himachal Pradesh University, Summer Hills, Shimla- 171005, Himachal Pradesh 8 Tribal Welfare Research Institute Government of Jharkhand, Morabadi Road, Ranchi – 834008 9 Tribal Research Institute, Directorate of Tribal Affairs Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir, Civil Secretariat, Jammu - 180001 10 Karnataka State Tribal Research Institute, #CA-3 Treasury Laout, Kergally, Mysuru - 570026 11 Kerala Institute for Research Training & Development, Studies for SC / ST, Government ofKerala, Kozhikode – 673017 12 Tribal Research & Development Institute, Government of Madhya Pradesh, 35, Shyamla Hills, Bhopal – 46200213 Tribal Research & Training Institute, Government of Maharashtra, 28, Queens Garden, Pune-411011 14 Tribal Research Institute, Government of Manipur, Chingmeirong, Imphal – 795001 15 SC / ST Research & Training Institute, Government of Odisha, Unit-VIII, CRP Square, Bhubaneswar – 751003 16 Tribal Research &Training Institute, Government of Rajasthan, Ashok Nagar, Post Box No. 86. Udaipur-313 001 17 Tribal Research Institute, Social Justice & Empowerment and Welfare Department, Government of Sikkim, Samay Kalyan Bhavan, Room No. 402, 5th Mile, Lumsay, Tadong, Gangtok-737 101 18 Tribal Research Center, Government of Tamil Nadu, M.Palada

(PO),Udhagamandalam, Nilgiri District, Tamil Nadu,Ooty-643 004 19 TCR & TI, Government of Telangana, DSS Bhawan, Masab Tank, Hyderabad- 500 028 20 Tribal Research & Cultural Institute, Government of Tripura, Lakechovemahui, Agartala, West Tripura-799001 21 Cultural Research Institute, Government of West Bengal, P6-1/4 CIT Scheme VII-M, VIP Road, Kankurgachi, Kolkata- 700054 22 SC / ST Research & Training Institute, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Bhagidari Bhawan, (Near Ambedkar Park), VipulKhand- Gomati Nagar, Lucknow-226010 23 Tribal Research Institute, Social Welfare Directorate, Chaltlang, Aizawl, Mizoram 796012 24 Tribal Research Institute, The Directorate of Social Welfare, Near Raj Bhavan, Kohima, Nagaland.

25 Tribal Research Institute, Social Welfare Department, Government of Uttarakhand, Subhash Road, Secretariat, Dehradun – 248 001 26 Tribal Research Institute, Babadam, West Garo Hills, Meghalaya 27 Tribal Research Institute, Directorate of Tribal Welfare, 5th Floor, Shram Shakti Bhavan, Patto, Panaji, Goa28. Tribal Research Institute, Ladakh, Kargil Campus, University of Ladakh

29. Bihar Scheduled Tribe Research and Training Institute (BSTRTI) 64/40 Officers Flat, Nehru Path, Patna- 800001Annexure-II Annexure referred to in reply to Part (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 204 to be answered on 29.01.2026 regarding Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) in Andhra Pradesh.

Details of funds released under the Scheme of ‘Support to Tribal Research Institutes’ during 2020-21 to 2024-25 Fund Released (Rs. in lakh) Sl. No. State 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 1 Andaman and Nicobar 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 2 Andhra Pradesh 455.00 432.75 219.13 125.00 0.00 3 Arunachal Pradesh 184.15 0 0.00 48.63 150.00 4 Assam 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 270.00 5 Bihar 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 99.00 6 Chhattisgarh 0.00 189.04 113.43 250.00 1100.00 7 Goa 202.50 111.75 0.00 50.57 200.00 8 Gujarat 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 250.00 9 Himachal Pradesh 50.00 114.1 0 0.00 125.00 10 Jammu And Kashmir 206.51 200 170.84 770.85 100.00 11 Jharkhand 0.00 13.92 164.96 417.03 200.00 12 Karnataka 26.35 184.25 0.00 0.00 200.00 13 Kerala 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 300.00 14 Ladakh 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 99.00 15 Madhya Pradesh 447.00 484.58 0.00 143.08 600.00 16 Maharashtra 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 250.00 17 Manipur 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 140.00 18 Meghalaya 0.00 66.224 0.00 0.00 100.00 19 Mizoram 1178.22 766.65 53.75 550.00 723.14 20 Nagaland 0.00 85 205.000 400.00 600.00 21 Odisha 503.00 644.76 313.15 600.00 600.00 22 Rajasthan 8.89 215.34216 0.00 0.00 0.00 23 Sikkim 144.00 273.3 0.00 0.00 200.00 24 Tamil Nadu 0.00 135.09 0.00 25.00 300.00 25 Telangana 375.75 548.95 0.00 0.00 1300.00 26 Tripura 0.00 44.29384 0.00 25.00 300.00 27 Uttar Pradesh 35.15 89.25 0.00 0.00 0.00 28 Uttarakhand 2183.48 1400.75 0.00 948.01 793.86 29 West Bengal 0.00 0 0.00 0.00 0.00 Total 6000.00 6000.00 1240.26 4353.17 9000.00Annexure-III Annexure referred to in reply to Part (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 204 to be answered on 29.01.2026 regarding Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) in Andhra Pradesh.

Details of research projects and training programmes conducted by TRI in Andhra Pradesh for tribal welfare and cultural documentation Project Sl. Financial Activity Name Project Name Amount No. Year (in Lakh) 1 2024-2025 Training/ Organisation of one day State Level 10 Seminars/ Tribal Painting competition and Workshops/ facilitation of eminent Tribal Artists Conferences 2 2024-2025 Training/ Conduct of Janjatiya Gaurav Divas: 0 Seminars/ Tribal Pride Day 2024 (15th November to Workshops/ 21st November) Conferences 3 2024-2025 Training/ Organization of skill training to the tribal 10 Seminars/ artisans, artists, Cultural performers, folk Workshops/ singers. and musicians to enhance their Conferences skills and Promote traditional art.

4 2024-2025 Training/ Organisation Exhibition of a Three-Day 10 Seminars/ Art Exhibition Workshops/ Conferences 5 2024-2025 Training/ Capacity building to the field 10 Seminars/ functionaries stakeholders on Workshops/ implementation RoFR in the state.

Conferences 6 2024-2025 Training/ Capacity Building Line Demands to the 5 Seminars/ Field Functionaries of on STC / TSP Workshops/ Components.

Conferences 7 2024-2025 Training/ Capacity Building to Teachers on Result 5 Seminars/ Orientation, Digital Tech etc.

Workshops/ Conferences 8 2024-2025 Training/ Organization of National-Level Archery 25 Seminars/ among Tribal Students Workshops/ Conferences 9 2023-2024 Training/ Capacity building to the field 20 Seminars/ functionaries stakeholders on Workshops/ implementation RoFR in the state.

Conferences 10 2023-2024 Training/ Skill upgradation among the Tribal 50 Seminars/ Artists and Artisans Workshops/Conferences 11 2023-2024 Training/ Capacity building to ST PRI members on 20 Seminars/ PESA and LTR through cascade model Workshops/ Conferences 12 2023-2024 Training/ Interface Workshops with Line 0 Seminars/ Departments for effective implementation Workshops/ of TW Department Activities by Conferences identifying gaps and lacunas to address them through comprehensive plans.

13 2022-2023 Training/ Conduct of 4 Day National Craft Mela 80 Seminars/ cum Sale to promote the Tribal crafts Workshops/ with an aim to vocal to local as well as Conferences local to Global. It also promote their livelihoods.

14 2021-2022 Training/ Capacity building to ST PRI members 5 Seminars/ through cascade model Workshops/ Conferences 15 2021-2022 Training/ Capacity building on the RoFR 5 Seminars/ Workshops/ Conferences 16 2021-2022 Training/ Creating data base and capacity Building 5 Seminars/ to Tribal Artisans and Artists Workshops/ Conferences Sl. Financial Activity Name Sub Project Name Project No. Year Activity Amount Name (in Lakh) 1 2024- Research & Education Skill gap Study among Scheduled 10 2025 Documentation Tribe Youth in Andhra Pradesh and identification of employable trades having local potentiality including self-employment 2 2024- Research & Education Baseline Survey for checking on 10 2025 Documentation left out PVTGs for benefits of Aadhaar enrolment. issue of community certificates and Jandhan accounts - the three requirements for obtaining all benefits 3 2023- Research & Education Action Research project of 65.75 2024 Documentation Deepening and scaling of Black Pepper farmers livelihoods in Andhra Pradesh 4 2023- Research & Education Action research project on listing 70.32024 Documentation ethno-medical practitioners among tribal groups, documentation of traditional health care practices, medicinal values of plants and usage, and the rise of nurseries of medicinal plants in 8 ITDA areas of the state.

5 2023- Research & Education Study cum action research trails for 56 2024 Documentation promoting broom grass cultivation in long term fallow podu lands for improving livelihood of the Aadivasis in ASR and Manyam district of Andhrapradesh 6 2022- Research & Baseline Baseline Survey on Primitive 27.37 2023 Documentation survey Vulnarable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Andhra Pradesh 7 2022- Research & Baseline Conducting baseline survey and 54.6 2023 Documentation survey preparation of integrated tribal village development plan for 312 tribal villages for implementation ofPradhan Mantri Aadi Adarsa Yojana (Model Village) 8 2022- Research & Baseline Development and TRI publications 30 2023 Documentation survey of Dictionaries among the Six Tribal Languages i.e. Savara, Konda, Kuvi, Adivasi Oria, Koya and Sugali 9 2022- Research & Baseline An Action Research of Skill 40 2023 Documentation survey Development on extraction of fiberfrom SISAL Leaves and Lantana plant to make alternative livelihoods for the 17 Tribal groups of the Paderu ITDA Agency Area.

10 2021- Research & None Conducting baseline survey and 43.75 2022 Documentation preparation of integrated tribal village development plan for 250 tribal villages for implementation of Pradhan Mantri Aadi Adarsa Yojana (Model Village) 11 2020- Research & Any Other Polavaram Project - Relief AND 50 2021 Documentation Rehabilitation of PDF and PAF - Study and developing comprehensive village development Plan for few Tribal Villages in Polavaram Project Region 12 2020- Research & Livelihoods Documentation and Compilation of 85 2021 Documentation Migrants in Andhra Pradesh - Future Plan of Action forLivelihood Security 13 2020- Research & Education An Empirical study on assessment 28 2021 Documentation of Ashram Schools Functioning in the State of Andhra Pradesh 14 2020- Research & Any Other Improving Black Pepper Farmers 100 2021 Documentation Incomes in Andhra Pradesh 15 2020- Research & Livelihoods Promoting new varietal Broom 55 2021 Documentation grass on the hill slopes as a livelihood Enterprise Model including skill development.

16 2020- Research & Livelihoods Skill development among tribes in 19 2021 Documentation processing for value addition of NTFP for sustainable livelihoods *****