Why a separate tribal scheme
Dadra & Nagar Haveli's population is ~60% Scheduled Tribe — the dominant cultivator communities are Dhodi, Warli, Kokna and Dubla. Most tribal land in DNH is held under either individual revenue patta or under Forest Rights Act (FRA) patta following the 2006 Act. Tribal cultivator welfare therefore requires a separate route from the general horticulture cluster scheme, with bespoke land- record handling, language-mediated outreach and higher subsidy slabs.
The scheme aligns with the broader PM-PVTG / Tribal Sub-Plan architecture and is implemented through the UT Tribal Welfare Department, in coordination with the Agriculture & Horticulture Department and the Silvassa Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK).
What the scheme provides
- 100% input subsidy on seed (paddy, ragi, vegetables), fertiliser, hand- tools, sprayers and small implements. Inputs distributed through the village Tribal Welfare Coordinator and the block Agriculture Officer.
- ₹10,000/ha cluster grant for paddy + finger millet (nagli) + vegetables — DBT-linked grant disbursed on cluster-village basis. Convergence with NMNF for natural-farming demonstrations.
- Training at the Silvassa KVK covers crop production, IPM, NMNF / jeevamrit, vegetable cultivation, kitchen- garden practice, paddy SRI method. Training cohorts of 30 — 50 per cycle.
- Tool bank at village level — cluster villages host hand-tool banks for shared use (sickle, hoe, weeder, sprayer).
- Convergence with horticulture: ST cultivators applying for cashew / mango / drumstick under DNH-DD Horticulture get the 100% planting-material slab under this scheme's tribal-priority quota.
Eligibility
- Member of the Dhodi, Warli, Kokna, Dubla scheduled tribes, with valid ST certificate.
- Cultivator with land record (revenue patta or FRA patta) or registered sharecropper.
- Aadhaar-linked bank account for DBT credit of cluster grant.
How to apply
- Visit the Tribal Welfare Officer in your tehsil or the block Agriculture Office. Cluster-village enrolment is the primary route; individual welfare applications are also accepted.
- Submit ST certificate, land record / FRA patta, Aadhaar, bank passbook.
- Tribal Welfare Officer + block Agriculture Officer jointly verify. Inputs are released at the start of Kharif (June — July) and Rabi (October — November).
- ₹10,000/ha cluster grant is credited via DBT after sowing verification + cluster GP attestation.
Latest changes (2024 — 2026)
- 2024: Convergence with NMNF tightened — 5 cluster villages adopted for natural-farming demonstration.
- 2025: Kitchen-garden push for tribal households integrated with the Anganwadi nutrition programme.
- 2025-26: PM-JANMAN (PM-PVTG mission) housing and water supply convergence in tribal cluster villages.
Common rejection reasons
- ST certificate missing or outdated: most common; refresh at District Magistrate office.
- FRA patta dispute: contested patta cases pending in the District Level Committee don't qualify.
- Cluster GP attestation missing: cluster grant cannot be disbursed without sarpanch attestation.
Coverage
~12,000 — 15,000 tribal cultivator households in DNH benefit each year; annual outlay is in the ₹10 — ₹20 cr range inclusive of convergence with horticulture and NMNF. Honest scope: DNH&DD's agricultural land is small, and the tribal welfare component is targeted but compact — but it remains a critical income-and-food-security layer for the tribal population.
How this stacks with other schemes
PM-KISAN ₹6,000/yr covers landholding ST cultivators; KCC-MISS provides input credit; the ₹10,000/ha cluster grant from this scheme functions as an effective state-level top-up. PMFBY runs in standard form. NMNF for natural-farming demo cluster. DNH-DD Horticulture gives the cashew / mango / drumstick layer at ST priority slab.
Related
- DNH-DD Horticulture Development.
- NMNF (natural-farming demonstration cluster).
- DNH & DD state guide.