Only 3 of 11 tribal museums completed in India

A parliamentary panel in India has reported that only three out of eleven planned tribal museums have been completed. This development comes over five years after the government announced the project to honor tribal freedom fighters. The Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment shared its findings in a report to the Lok Sabha. The Union Tribal Affairs Ministry had proposed 11 museums in 10 states to celebrate the contributions of tribal leaders. However, only three museums have opened: the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Memorial Freedom Fighter Museum in Jharkhand, the Badal Bhoi State Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum in Madhya Pradesh, and another museum in Jabalpur. The committee expressed concern over the slow progress on the remaining eight museums, which were approved back in 2017-2020. States like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana are still waiting for their museums. Some museums planned for Kerala, Manipur, and Goa are still in the planning stage. The committee called on the ministry to accelerate the construction of the remaining museums, with four expected to be completed by November 2025. Additionally, the panel raised issues about the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs), which provide education to tribal children. It noted that many schools are operating from rented buildings instead of their own. The government aims to build 728 EMRSs, but delays have been reported in budget spending due to various issues. The committee emphasized the need for urgent action to ensure that coming schools are built in their own facilities. Out of 477 functional EMRSs, 341 have their own buildings. The committee urged that a plan be developed to complete construction of each school within two to three years.