A separate Tribal Development Department (TDD) was set up in the year 1983 to look after the welfare and development of the tribals in the State.  Initially, the field organisation of the Tribal Development Department consisted of two separate wings, namely the Directorate of Tribal Development and the Additional Commissioners of Tribal Development.  As this arrangement was not found effective, the field set-up of the Department was reorganised in 1992 by merging the two wings to achieve a single line of command  and creating a post of Tribal Commissioner with Nashik as headquarters.  There are four posts of Additional Tribal Commissioner at Thane, Nashik, Amravati and Nagpur. The State has been divided into 24 Integrated Tribal Development Projects mainly concentrated in the TSP, ATSP, MADA and Mini-MADA areas.  Each ITDP Project is headed by a Project Officer. 

  In order to ensure public participation in the planning, implementation and monitoring of the schemes for tribal development at the district level, District Tribal Sub-Plan Committees have been set up.  The concerned District Minister is the Chairman, the Divisional Commissioner and the Additional Tribal Commissioner are the Vice Chairmen and among others, the tribal MPs, MLAs and MLCs members.  The Collector is the Member-Secretary of this Committee.  At the Project level, there is an Implementation Committee under the chairmanship of the local MLA.  The Additional Tribal Commissioner is the Vice Chairman and the Project Officer Member Secretary of this Committee, which is required to meet every month and review the progress of the tribal development schemes.

Tribes Advisory Council 

  As per the provisions of Schedule V of the Constitution, Tribes Advisory Council has been formed in the State with the Chief Minister as the ex-officio President and Minister, Tribal Development as the ex-officio Vice-President.  Fifteen tribal MLAs are members of the Council and two members are nominated by the Governor. All the tribal MPs and remaining tribal MLAs are permanent invitees to the Council.  Secretary, Tribal Development Department is the ex-officio Secretary of the Council. The main function of the Council is to advise the Governor on important matters pertaining to the welfare and advancement of scheduled tribes in the State.