Jammu Kashmir Gets Rs 14.57 Crore for 100 Tribal VDVKs, Over Rs 26.7 Crore Disbursed as Loans in Three Years | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has received financial assistance of about Rs 14.57 crore for the establishment of 100 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras under the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission, benefiting nearly 29,800 tribal beneficiaries, the Union Government informed the Lok Sabha on December 18, 2025.

In addition, tribal entrepreneurs from the Union Territory have availed more than Rs 26.7 crore in concessional loans over the last three financial years through the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation, indicating a steady flow of institutional support aimed at strengthening tribal livelihoods.

According to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Jammu and Kashmir is among the better-covered regions under the PM Janjatiya Vikas Mission Van Dhan Vikas Kendra programme, with 100 VDVKs sanctioned and funds amounting to Rs 1,457 lakh approved. These centres are designed to support value addition, processing and marketing of minor forest produce, providing income-generation opportunities to tribal communities through cluster-based enterprises.

At the national level, a total of 4,105 VDVKs have been sanctioned under the PM JVM component across States and Union Territories, covering more than 12.27 lakh beneficiaries with funds exceeding Rs 609 crore. Jammu and Kashmir’s share places it alongside several large States in terms of institutional coverage, reflecting the government’s emphasis on integrating tribal producers from the Himalayan region into organised value chains.

Parallelly, under the PM Janman VDVK component, which focuses on Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, 539 VDVKs have been sanctioned nationwide with financial assistance of about Rs 22.98 crore. However, Jammu and Kashmir does not figure among the beneficiaries under this specific sub-scheme, highlighting a potential gap in targeted support for the most vulnerable tribal groups within the Union Territory.

Data on credit support further shows that Jammu and Kashmir has consistently accessed loans from the NSTFDC. In 2022–23, loans worth Rs 12.72 crore were disbursed to 535 beneficiaries in the UT. This was followed by Rs 2.95 crore to 106 beneficiaries in 2023–24, and a significant rise to Rs 11.02 crore benefiting 409 individuals in 2024–25. The fluctuations suggest varying demand and project readiness but underline sustained engagement with formal credit channels.

Across the country, NSTFDC disbursed over Rs 914 crore in loans to tribal beneficiaries during the last three years, with States such as Telangana, Mizoram, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh accounting for large shares. Jammu and Kashmir’s cumulative performance positions it in the mid-range nationally, ahead of several States but behind those with larger tribal populations and enterprise networks.

The Ministry said these interventions are aimed at promoting self-employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods among Scheduled Tribes through a combination of infrastructure creation, grants and concessional finance. However, the uneven coverage across schemes and regions also points to the need for sharper targeting and greater outreach, particularly in remote and conflict-affected tribal areas of Jammu and Kashmir, where access to markets and credit remains a persistent challenge.