Replying to an un-starred question in Rajya Sabha today the Union Tribal Affairs Minister of State Shri Drugadas Uikey informed that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), through the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC), is actively expanding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partnerships for the overall welfare and development of tribal people and areas. NSTFDC had already signed multiple MoUs with companies including Coal India Ltd, Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) etc, to extend support to EMRS across the country, with numerous initiatives such as establishing space labs, digital education, building the capacity of both students & teachers etc.

(b) The CSR-supported interventions implemented through the Ministry’s Implementing agency- NSTFDC and NESTS are outcome-oriented and aligned with higher education and employment objectives. These CSR interventions are being implemented in EMRSs to strengthen academic foundations, digital competencies, and career preparedness to facilitate students’ progression to premier higher education institutions and professional sectors. NESTS is monitoring these interventions closely to ensure that these are effectively translated into higher placement rates and sustained professional outcomes for tribal students in higher education institutions and professional sectors.

(c) At present, there is no proposal under consideration in the Ministry for setting up a separate ‘CSR–EMRS Cell’, as NSTFDC is functioning as the implementing agency for the Ministry’s CSR-funded projects.