The 18-member National Council for Tribal Welfare will comprise Union Ministers for Tribal Affairs, Finance, Home, Agriculture, Health and Family Welfare, Environment and Forests, HRD, Rural Development, Woman and Child Development, Culture, Mines and Coal, and Power.

Deputy Chairperson of Planning Commission and Chief Ministers of concerned states will also be its members, the Tribal Affairs Ministry said in a statement today.

Two experts will be nominated as members of the Council by the Prime Minister for a period of 2 years and Tribal Affairs Ministry secretary will be member secretary of the apex body.

”In order to send a strong message that the Government is committed to the cause of welfare of tribals, an apex body, National Council for Tribal Welfare (NCTW), headed by the Prime Minister has been constituted,” the Ministry said.

The Council will provide broad policy guidelines to bring about improvement in the lives of the Scheduled Tribes in the country.

”It would also review the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, monitor the implementation of Tribal Sub-Plan and programmes aimed at protecting vulnerable tribal groups,” it said.

Meetings of the Council would be linked with the meetings of the National Development Council (NDC) to ensure that they are held regularly and the Chief Ministers concerned are able to participate in them, it said.