Parliament panel questions delay in response to Baiga child deaths in Madhya Pradesh
A parliamentary panel is investigating the government's delayed response to the deaths of Baiga tribe children in Madhya Pradesh. Officials are being questioned regarding the effectiveness of the PM-JANMAN scheme and the discrepancy between official and local reports on the death toll.
Why it matters
It highlights critical gaps in healthcare delivery and administrative accountability for vulnerable tribal populations in India.
Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment questioned the government over its response to the deaths of Baiga tribe children in Madhya Pradesh ’s Balaghat district, asking why there were no clear answers on the cause of the deaths several months after the first cases were reported.
The panel met representatives of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the Ministry of Jal Shakti’s Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, and the Department of Telecommunications to review the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN).
The PM-JANMAN scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet following the announcement of the Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission in the Union Budget for 2023-24. The scheme has an outlay of ₹24,104 crore for three years, from 2023-24 to 2025-26, and aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
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