As can be seen from the sector-wise break up of the outlay for the TSP, a substantial proportion of  the outlay is spent on creation of infrastructure in TSP areas.  Some of the important infrastructure schemes taken up are briefly described in the subsequent paragraphs.

Various irrigation projects/schemes are being implemented for the economic upliftment of tribals by the Irrigation Department in Tribal Sub-Plan Area.  The full requirement of funds is made available by Tribal Development Department, if an irrigation project benefits more than 90% tribals or tribal area.  If the tribal beneficiaries/ area fall between 50 to 90%,  funds are made available to the extent of percentage of tribal beneficiaries/areas. Funds are not provided from TSP to those schemes which benefit less than 50% of tribal beneficiaries/areas. Under this scheme, a provision of Rs. 23.15 crore has been made for the year 2000-2001.

In order to provide communication facilities in tribal areas, the scheme of construction of roads and bridges is taken up by Public Works Department. Augmentation of communication facilities in tribal areas  provides better access to education and health facilities and connects these areas to local markets. A provision of Rs. 63.91 crore has been made for this scheme for the year 2000-2001.

The Government of Maharashtra has entered into a contract with the Border Roads Organisation in 1994-95 for construction of roads and bridges in the most sensitive areas of Gadchiroli and Bhandara districts. During the period from 1994-95 to 2000-2001, a total provision of  Rs. 100.90 crore was made available for this purpose.

All the inhabited villages in the State, excluding 248 villages identified as non-feasible for electrification, have been electrified. Since the programme of village electrification has been practically completed, the same is now being extended to electrification of hamlets. As per a recent survey, there are 9,075 hamlets and a programme has been proposed for electrification of these hamlets in a phased manner.  During the year 2000-2001, an outlay of Rs. 24.40 crore has beem provided in the TSP for the work of electrification of hamlets, energisation of agricultural pumpsets and release of domestic connections.

The development of non-conventional sources of energy has been given high priority by the Central Government. It is a part of the Twenty Point Programme. This scheme is implemented by Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) in the State. Under their schemes,  improved chullas, portable chullas, SPV lanterns, SPV street lights and domestic solar cookers are distributed to tribal beneficiaries. During the year 2000-2001, an outlay Rs. 50 lakh has been made available for this purpose.

Local development programme based on the local needs is being implemented by the Planning Department since 1984-85. The instructions regarding implementation of the scheme, particulary relating to preparation of work programmes, procedure for distribution of grants to implementing agencies and sanction of works have been issued by the Planning Department. Since 1993-94, the grants are made available from TSP to 22 MLAs of constituencies reserved for Scheduled Tribes.  An amount of Rs. 65 lakh is made available to each MLA. During the financial year 2000-2001, an amount of Rs. 14.30 crore has been provided for this programme. At the end of the year, if any amount remained unspent due to technical problems, extension is given for spending the amount during the subsequent year.

While formulating Annual Plans and Five Year Plans, it was observed that there were specific needs of the hilly areas in the State which required special attention. A Cabinet Sub Committee was, therefore, appointed in October, 1988 to identify the hilly areas in the State and to prescribe norms for a special programme to be undertaken for the development of such hilly areas. On the basis of the recommendations of this Committee, the hilly areas in the State have been identified which cover 72 talukas (fully) and 23 talukas (partly) in 19 districts.  Out of these 19 districts, 10 districts fall in the TSP areas. Programmes like road development, primary health, drinking water supply, primary education, minor irrigation, lift irrigation, rural electrification, sericulture, forestry, horticulture and tourism have been approved for the development of these areas. However, at present only primary school buildings, roads, water supply, minor irrigation including small bandharas are undertaken in the programme. For the year 2000-2001,  an outlay of Rs. 5.47 crore is provided for this programme under the TSP.  The funds are distributed to the districts, taking into consideration the population and area of the identified hilly areas.  These funds are over and above the normal outlay of the District Plan.

There are 285 primary health centres, 42 community health centres, 96 primary health units, 53 mobile health units and 1872 sub centres in the TSP area.  While the population served by one primary health centre is 29000 and by one sub centre is 5600 outside TSP area, these figures are 20800 and 3200 in the TSP area.  Though the TSP areas thus appear to be well served by public health facilities, there is a need to have more facilities given the dispersed nature of the population in tribal areas.  In the TSP areas, a primary health centre caters to population within a radius of 20 to 25 kms and a sub centre caters to population within  a radius of 8 to 10 kms, while these are only 12 to 15 kms and 4 to 6 kms respectively outside.  The Public Health Department has, therefore, proposed a norm of one primary health centre for a population of 10000 within a radius of 10 to 12 kms and a sub centre for a population of 1000 within a radius of 5 kms.  This will call for setting up of 53 primary health centres and 367 sub centres.  This will be considered depending on the availability of funds.  Augmentation of public health facilities is being taken up with the outlay of Rs. 50.66crore for this sector in the Annual Plan for 2000-2001.