Mysuru: A glaring instance of mismanagement has surfaced in Karnataka, highlighting how government-sanctioned funds for tribal development have gone underutilized. The Tribal Research Institute (TRI) in Mysuru, established in 2005, has repeatedly failed to effectively use central funds intended for tribal welfare.
As per data shared in the ongoing Lok Sabha session by Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Durgadas Uikey, Rs 4.6 crore was sanctioned for TRI in 2023–24, but no amount was released. In 2022–23, despite an allocation of Rs 1 crore, again, zero funds were disbursed. Even in 2020–21, only Rs 26.2 lakh was released out of a sanctioned Rs 1.8 crore.
Officials from the State Social Welfare Department attributed this shortfall to delays in submitting utilisation certificates and failure to conduct planned activities or events. Since the Union government releases funds only after receiving utilisation reports, delays in documentation have caused major funding blocks.
Interestingly, in some years, TRI did receive more than what was initially allocated. In 2024–25, Rs 2 crore was released against a sanctioned Rs 1.5 crore, and in 2021–22, Rs 1.8 crore was disbursed against the same sanctioned amount.
Vijayakumar, coordinator of the State Primitive Tribes Forum, criticized TRI Karnataka’s inefficiency, noting that states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu use their TRIs for in-depth research and cultural preservation. He urged Karnataka’s TRI to follow suit and appoint a full-time director.
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