The Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Durgadas Uikey, said Jammu and Kashmir has made significant strides in tribal development through educational institutions and economic empowerment programmes. Akashvani Jammu Correspondent reports that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has shared comprehensive data in the Lok Sabha on various developmental initiatives targeted at Scheduled Tribes across India, including specific progress in the Union Territory.

Under the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) schemes, tribal beneficiaries in J&K received over Rs. 4.43 crore in financial assistance during the last five financial years. These funds were disbursed through schemes such as Term Loans, Adivasi Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana (AMSY), Micro Credit Finance (MCF), and Adivasi Shiksha Rojgar Yojana (ASRY). The financial support enabled over 1600 tribal individuals in the UT to gain access to livelihood support, small-scale enterprise loans, and working capital assistance.

Breaking down the latest data for FY 2024-25, the MoS revealed that J&K received Rs. 10.80 crore under Term Loan schemes that benefited 397 individuals, while additional allocations were made under AMSY and ASRY. The cumulative assistance for the year totalled Rs. 11.02 crore for 409 beneficiaries, marking the highest support received in any of the five years.

Over the years, the UT saw consistent year-on-year support from NSTFDC. In the education sector, the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) reported strong growth in tribal student enrolment in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in Jammu & Kashmir. From a modest count of 294 students in 2022-23, enrollment has risen sharply to 1,134 students in 2025-26, showing increasing trust in residential tribal schooling systems.