Didi Ka Dukaan in Focus at Ranchi PVTG Meet

A regional seminar in Ranchi brought together officials from Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to improve services and livelihood options in areas inhabited by Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). The event was part of NITI Aayog’s Super 60 initiative and held with support from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Jharkhand government.

Push for last-mile services

Ranjana Chopra, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, called for a sharper focus on the most remote hamlets. “Now is the time to take concrete steps towards household saturation,” she said. She stressed the need to build roads in villages that still lack motorable access and suggested using MGNREGA under PMGSY to create work while building rural connectivity.

“Connectivity should ensure vehicles reach hospitals, schools and towns from people’s doorsteps,” she noted. Chopra added that anganwadi centres will be set up in settlements with at least one hundred residents and creches will support women during work hours.

She asked states to map completed and pending work in PVTG pockets to plan targeted interventions.

Empowerment and inclusion

Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director at NITI Aayog, said the aim is to link remote areas to the mainstream. “We must work together to build a developed India,” he said. According to him, the mission goes beyond basic services. It seeks to build economic, social and educational strength so these communities can stand on their own.

He added, “The new chapter of upliftment must come through steady efforts in the field.”

Jharkhand’s progress and local models

Mukesh Kumar, Secretary, Planning and Development, said Jharkhand has made strong progress in tough terrain. He pointed to the “Dakia Yojana”, which delivers medicines, nutrition kits and essentials to doorsteps in remote settlements. “We want to ensure no primitive tribal community remains excluded,” he said.

Officials showcased the “Didi Ka Dukaan” model. Women from PVTG groups are running 1,276 shops across blocks, including 386 villages that received a shop for the first time. They started with loans between Rs 30,000 and Rs 1 lakh. Each shop earns an average of around Rs 9,100 a month. The scheme has reduced travel for basic goods and created new income sources. The state has also opened 113 “Didi Ka Dhaba” food kiosks.

“These efforts are improving confidence and income in remote tribal areas,” officials said.

Role of community champions

The meet began with stories from Padma awardees, who shared examples of leadership and social change. Their inputs set the tone for discussions on service reach, livelihood solutions and innovative district models, including digital inclusion in North Tripura and agriculture clusters in Dhenkanal.

Common resolve

The seminar closed with a shared commitment to strengthen delivery systems, expand livelihood options and deepen coordination between departments and states. Senior officers from NITI Aayog, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and state governments attended along with Padma Shri awardees.