The Adi Karmayogi initiative, launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in 2025, aims to create 20 lakh change leaders across tribal villages in India. This programme focuses on participatory problem-solving and motivation among government officials and community members. It is part of the Dharti Aba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyaan, which seeks to improve last-mile delivery of welfare schemes in tribal areas.
Background and Purpose
Tribal regions have long faced developmental challenges despite numerous government schemes. The initiative arose from a national workshop that identified lack of motivation among implementers as a key barrier. Instead of blaming external factors, the programme promotes the idea that solutions must come from within the community and officials. It encourages action-oriented mindsets and turning challenges into opportunities.
Training Structure and Cadre Formation
The programme plans a multi-tiered training model. It will create 240 State-level master trainers, 2,750 district trainers, and over 15,000 block trainers. These trainers will cascade the training to 20 lakh village-level officials, volunteers, and community leaders. Training currently occurs at State and district levels and will soon expand to village levels across 324 districts. Each village session involves about 15 volunteers.
Participatory Training Activities
Training uses interactive exercises to build motivation and problem-solving skills. Activities include – – Lighting the candle – Encourages participants to bring light instead of cursing darkness. – Fish bowl exercise – Helps participants understand each other by imagining themselves as fish in a bowl. – Village scenario role-play – Simulates a village facing water scarcity, pushing participants to find local solutions when official help is delayed.
Village Vision and Public Murals
Villages are encouraged to develop Village Vision 2030 documents. These outline aspirations and development goals for the next five years. The visions are depicted as public murals to inspire and guide State machinery. This visual representation makes plans accessible and encourages community ownership.
Adi Seva Kendras for Scheme Access
The initiative plans to establish one lakh Adi Seva Kendras. These centres will act as single-point interfaces for villagers to access welfare schemes. The goal is to achieve 100% saturation of benefits. These Kendras will simplify scheme delivery and enhance transparency.
Implementation and Future Plans
After training State and district trainers, the programme will focus on block and village levels. The participatory approach aims to build a motivated cadre of officials and community leaders. This cadre will drive development efforts in tribal areas, ensuring schemes reach intended beneficiaries effectively.
Questions for UPSC:
- Critically discuss the role of participatory governance in tribal development and its impact on last-mile scheme delivery.
- Examine the challenges faced by tribal areas in India and analyse how motivation among officials can influence developmental outcomes.
- Estimate the benefits and potential limitations of establishing single-point service centres like Adi Seva Kendras in rural welfare administration.
- Point out the significance of visual tools such as public murals in community mobilisation and planning. How do such tools affect policy implementation at the grassroots?
