The Union ministry of tribal affairs (MoTA) has launched a financial literacy initiative to improve access to formal banking services and concessional credit among Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) across four states, officials said on Monday.
The initiative, called the PVTG Vitta Samriddha Gram (PVTG V-SamGra), has been launched in collaboration with the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC). “It will familiarise beneficiaries with concessional loan schemes, banking procedures, eligibility criteria and documentation requirements, while providing assistance in submitting loan applications. “Field teams are engaging with families to understand their livelihood plans and explain how concessional loans and other credit facilities could support agriculture, livestock rearing and the establishment of micro and nano enterprises. Following an assessment of the first phase, the ministry will consider expanding the programme in Phase II to include a broader range of financial inclusion interventions.
It was rolled out in Madhya Pradesh on September 27, according to the officials. Its first phase aims to cover around 200 selected PVTG villages in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh by March 2027, with approximately 50 villages in each state.
Ranjana Chopra, the MoTA secretary, said that the programme seeks to address gaps in financial awareness that often prevent tribal households in remote areas from accessing institutional credit, despite the presence of banks and other financial facilities. Seven financial literacy camps have been organised so far in Sidhi and Singrauli districts of Madhya Pradesh and Malkangiri district of Odisha, while another eight camps were planned in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh and three in Gajapati district of Odisha for the following week,” she said. She further said that under the initiative, NSTFDC is working with its zonal offices, state channelising agencies, regional rural banks, branches of nationalised banks, non-governmental organisations and other local stakeholders to reach eligible households. The programme also aims to help prospective beneficiaries navigate the application process and make informed decisions about borrowing,” she said.
