SRINAGAR: The Department of Tribal Affairs (TAD) has strongly refuted reports alleging that 87 per cent of funds under tribal welfare schemes remain unutilised, describing the claim as factually incorrect and misleading.
In an official clarification, the Department said the assessment of fund utilisation must be done scheme-wise rather than through aggregated figures that do not reflect the actual financial flow or the nature of phased public expenditure.
It stated that several flagship schemes have recorded full utilisation during the 2025–26 financial year, including the Post-Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Tribe students and the Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY), with funds fully disbursed to beneficiaries. The Tribal Research Institute (TRI) has also achieved 99.85 per cent utilisation, it added.
The Department further said infrastructure-related expenditure under the UT Capex Budget for tribal welfare has crossed 59 per cent as projects continue on the ground, while the Tribal Sub-Plan shows 23.52 per cent utilisation, which it described as reflecting payments currently under process in district treasuries.
On the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, the Department clarified that the allocation is scheduled for release in the first week of April 2026, and termed any criticism of its utilisation at this stage as premature.
Reaffirming its position, the Department said it remains committed to transparent and efficient fund management aimed at the socio-economic upliftment of tribal communities.
