Delayed census hit tribal welfare in Andhra: Expert
'With newly formed districts such as Alluri Sitarama Raju and Parvathipuram Manyam housing a large tribal population, the delay in the census is making it increasingly difficult to plan and implement welfare schemes effectively,' opined Chetti Praveen Kumar from Agro-Economic Research Centre, Andhra University.
According to the 2011 Census, Scheduled Tribes (STs) accounted for around 5.3% of the erstwhile united AP's population. Since then, several administrative changes, including the bifurcation of the State, have altered demographic patterns, particularly in tribal-dominated areas.
'The lack of updated census data means that local planning still relies on decade-old statistics, limiting the accuracy and reach of welfare programmes,' Praveen explained.
The allocation of funds under the Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) is largely dependent on ST population.
This strategy, guided by the proportion of STs in the population, determines financial planning for schemes related to education, healthcare, housing, and forest rights. 'Without recent population figures, fund allocation is based on estimates, affecting the quality, and targeting of services on the ground,' he noted.
Praveen stated that tribal communities in AP, including Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), rely on accurate population mapping for various entitlements.
'In areas such as Visakhapatnam Agency, many hamlets still lack official recognition due to the absence of updated habitation data.
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