Mumbai:
The Maharashtra Government runs over 550 residential schools for Adivasis to give them access to education, good food and decent living - things they lack in the backward hamlets they come from.
But the reality is dark.
"I sweep the school, clean the bathrooms and clear out the garbage," says 11-year-old Anjali Chander, who studies at the Gowade Tribal School. Here, tin sheds with no fans serve as classrooms - and double up as living quarters.
At night, the 10-minute walk to the bathroom is a trip that Anjali and other students have to make in the dark - because there is no electricity. "We feel scared to go that far in the night. There are male teachers and male students who live here, so it's uncomfortable," says Seema Tokre, another student
In the interiors of the state, the picture gets worse.
The Aina Tribal School, 150 km from Thane city, was built seven years ago. To this day, there is not a single toilet or bathroom built for the over 200 students who live and study here. "We use the nearby river to bathe," says Headmaster D M Bhoye.
The appalling infrastructure - or the lack of it - begs the question: What happens to the 3,000 crore rupees the government sanctions every year for tribal development? A large chunk of this grant is supposed to go to tribal schools and hospitals.
Till 2007, the condition of these schools was far worse. Many children were dying of illnesses related to poor food. A CBI inquiry found food served to children was infested with insects and rat droppings. That started a crackdown.
"Roads, toilets and bathrooms are being built. Food quality has improved. Children never used to get milk and eggs before," says Sanjeev Joshi, an activist.
Giving poor tribal children food, basic shelter and basic education is necessary. But what about their right to dignity?