Assessing Government Health Schemes for Bhil Tribal Women: A Case Study from Banswara, Rajasthan

Abstract

The Bhil tribe is the most populous tribal group in Rajasthan, and it is best represented in the Banswara district, which is characterized by geographical isolation, low literacy, poverty, and limited access to healthcare facilities. Poor maternal health, nutritional deficiencies, and lack of awareness about government health programs are several health issues facing Bhil women in Banswara. To curb these problems, the Government of India has launched several schemes, among them Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and POSHAN Abhiyaan, which are significant initiatives focused on safer motherhood and better nutrition. The proposed descriptive research is based entirely on secondary data from NFHS-5 (National Family Health Survey), Census of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reports, POSHAN Abhiyaan dashboards, and relevant research literature. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of these government schemes in helping Bhil tribal women in Banswara district. The results show that, although the number of institutional deliveries has been on the rise, as has the number of nutrition services provided by Anganwadi centres, several gaps remain. The level of anaemia among women, lack of diversified diet, malnutrition in children, and access to antenatal care are not equally reaching tribal women, demonstrating that JSY and POSHAN are not being distributed equally to tribal women. Infrastructure limitations, low levels of education, social practices, and economic poverty still affect the health-seeking behaviour. The paper finds that, despite the positive role of government schemes, their implementation is weak; initiatives on awareness and communication targeting tribes should be more effective to achieve better maternal and nutritional health outcomes in Banswara.