PM-JANMAN — India's Most Ambitious Mission for Its Most Vulnerable Tribal Communities

PM-JANMAN — Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan — is the Central Government's mission to bring 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) into the mainstream of development through saturation of basic services and entitlements. Launched on Janjatiya Gaurav Divas (15 November 2023) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Khunti, Jharkhand, it is not a new welfare programme — it is a convergence mission that ensures existing government schemes actually reach PVTG habitations that they have historically bypassed.

In Odisha's context, PM-JANMAN covers 1,759 PVTG habitations across 1,302 villages in 54 blocks of 14 districts, covering 72,988 households with a total PVTG population of 3,12,234. These communities — including the Bonda, Didayi, Chuktia Bhunjia, Dongria Kondh, Lanjia Soura, Hill Kharia, and other PVTGs — are among the most remote and institutionally underserved populations in India.

The Odisha Budget 2024-25 allocated Rs. 100 crore specifically for PM-JANMAN implementation in the state, alongside Rs. 120 crore for the complementary Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Grama Yojana (PMAAGY).

Successor programme: In September 2024, the Central Cabinet approved PMJUGA (Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan) — a Rs. 79,156 crore programme covering all tribal majority villages across 30 states and UTs (not just PVTGs), building on PM-JANMAN's implementation learnings. PM-JANMAN itself continues through 2025-26.

PM-JANMAN focuses on 11 specific interventions coordinated across 9 line Ministries:

Odisha-specific implementation status (Malkangiri): In Malkangiri district alone — home to Bonda and Didayi PVTGs — 125 villages are covered, benefiting approximately 23,000 people. Over 1,665 houses were selected; 160 completed as of recent data.

Odisha has 13 notified PVTG communities, making it one of the highest-PVTG states in India:

1. Bonda (Malkangiri, Koraput)
2. Chuktia Bhunjia (Nuapada, Bolangir)
3. Didayi (Malkangiri, Koraput)
4. Dongria Kondh (Rayagada, Kalahandi)
5. Hill Kharia / Pahari Kharia (Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar)
6. Juanga (Keonjhar, Deogarh)
7. Kutia Kondh (Kandhamal, Kalahandi)
8. Lanjia Soura (Gajapati, Rayagada)
9. Lodha / Kheria Sabar (Mayurbhanj, Balasore)
10. Mankidia (Mayurbhanj)
11. Birhor (Sundergarh, Keonjhar, Sambalpur)
12. Saura (Gajapati, Rayagada) — some sub-groups classified as PVTG
13. Pengo Gadaba (Koraput)

Each community has distinct cultural practices, language, and livelihood patterns. Effective PM-JANMAN implementation in Odisha cannot be generic — it must be culturally and linguistically appropriate for each PVTG.

Housing (pucca house): Any PVTG household currently residing in a kaccha (temporary) house. Houses are valued at Rs. 2.39 lakh each. Registration is done via the 'Awaas+' mobile app — a documented implementation challenge where gram sevaks have struggled with the application process in remote areas with poor connectivity.

Solar electrification: Un-electrified PVTG households receive Solar Home Lighting Systems (SHLS) free of cost with 5-year maintenance. Clustered un-electrified habitations receive solar mini-grids.

Healthcare via MMU: Mobile Medical Units reach PVTG habitations on a scheduled circuit. No eligibility criterion — all residents are served.

Aadhaar, caste certificate, Jan Dhan accounts: PM-JANMAN includes a saturation drive to provide these three documents to all PVTG households as the gateway to accessing all other entitlements. An August–September 2024 IEC campaign targeted 44.6 lakh individuals in 28,700 habitations nationally.

MGNREGA convergence: A documented challenge — many PVTGs have been excluded from MGNREGA due to jobcard deletions. PM-JANMAN includes a specific intervention to restore and reissue jobcards.