Maharashtra govt launches centre for tribal development

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday set up an institution to evaluate and quantify special development budget allocations and their impact on tribal development. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday launched the institution — QUEST — in Mumbai. While stating the objective of the exercise by the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Tribal Welfare, the government said it wants to bring greater accountability in spending and management of dedicated funds allocated for tribal welfare.

Known as Quality Evaluation for Sustainable Transformation centre, the state has taken the first initiative in the country to ensure every rupee awarded is not only accounted for but the development in lives of tribal people through the projects undertaken is also quantified.

In the 2018-19 budget, the state government provided Rs 26, 345.29 crore for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe welfare schemes. Of that Rs 8,233.12 crore was dedicated for development of Scheduled Tribes and Rs 9949.22 crore for Scheduled Castes.

Fadnavis said, “Every policy reform, along with dedicated budget, has a stated objective to bring development and changes in the lives of the people.

The QUEST centre will carry forward the tribal mission. As here we are focussing on bringing sustainable transformation in the lives of the tribals.”

The expenditure incurred, along with planning, can bring better results when its impact is quantified, he observed.