Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India

Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the apex ministry responsible for the welfare and development of Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities across India. Beyond social welfare, it actively funds entrepreneurship and startup initiatives targeting tribal entrepreneurs, artisans, and forest-produce businesses.

Startup & Innovation Programs

The Ministry partners with organizations like TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India) and various state tribal development corporations to deliver startup support. Key programs include:

• Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDKs): Tribal enterprise clusters providing value addition support for forest produce, creating market linkages and livelihood opportunities
• Aadimahotsav and Tribes India: Market access initiatives for tribal artisans and entrepreneurs
• PM JANMAN: Targeted outreach to particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs)
• National Tribal Fellowship and Grant Programs: Support for research and innovation by tribal youth

Focus Areas

The Ministry channels innovation support toward forest produce processing, tribal handicrafts, sustainable agriculture, water conservation, and community health solutions relevant to tribal regions. Startups addressing tribal communities as customers or co-owners are particularly encouraged.

Who Should Apply

Social entrepreneurs, tribal artisan businesses, rural tech startups, and NGO-backed ventures focused on tribal welfare and livelihoods. Startups with a demonstrated community connect — especially those founded by or co-creating with tribal communities — stand the best chance of support.

Impact

Van Dhan Vikas Kendras have supported 50,000+ tribal entrepreneurs across 307 clusters in 27 states, with TRIFED providing market linkage and branding support for tribal products.