The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) is an Indian Government ministry (institution) that serves as the nodal agency for the overall policy, planning, and coordination of programmes for the development of Scheduled Tribes (STs). It was established in 1999 after being bifurcated from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The ministry was created to provide a more focused approach to the integrated socio-economic development of STs, who are considered the most underprivileged section of Indian society. Before its formation, tribal affairs were handled by various ministries, including the Ministry of Home Affairs until September 1985.
The ministry's functions are allocated under the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961. Its mandate includes social security and insurance for STs, tribal welfare planning, and the development of Scheduled Areas. It implements key initiatives like the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) for quality education.
The MoTA connects directly to the constitutional provisions of the Fifth and Sixth Schedules, which grant special protections and administrative autonomy to tribal areas. It is also the nodal ministry for the implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA). Related legislation includes the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The ministry also oversees the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), a constitutional body under Article 338A.
Recently, the MoTA has been involved in a controversy regarding the FRA, 2006. The ministry allegedly communicated that the FRA has "no provision for obtaining consent of the Gram Sabha for forest clearance" and that such matters "do not fall under the purview of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs". This stance has been criticized for contradicting its statutory role as the nodal ministry for FRA implementation. Furthermore, new guidelines for Community Forest Resource management issued in September 2023 have been opposed by tribal rights groups for allegedly undermining the authority of the Gram Sabha.