The Government has been implementing Tribal Sub Plan as a part of its obligation to implement the directive principles of State policy enshrined in the Constitution of India. The present Tribal Sub Plan strategy was started early in the year 1975-76 with the beginning of Fifth Five Year Plan. The Tribal Sub Plan is mainly an area development plan. Scheduled areas of heavy tribal concentration were formed into special development blocks (ITDAs). Tribal Sub Plan was formulated for these areas every year with a view to have full control and separate accounting of the investments made by all departments mainly on the infrastructure development programs. Later on the plan objectives were shifted to the family welfare programs under which the expenditure incurred on the individual beneficiary schemes implemented for tribals outside the Scheduled Areas was also included in the Tribal Sub Plan. Thus, the expenditure incurred on the development schemes implemented for the tribals in the Scheduled Areas as also outside the Scheduled Areas formed part of Tribal Sub Plan.

Government (vide G.O.Ms.No.261, Finance and Planning (F.W.B.G.) Department, dated 26-09-1986) issued orders laying down a three-step approach for implementation of Tribal Sub Plan. Government have also issued instructions to all Head of Departments (vide D.O.Lr.No.2311/D1/82-1, Social Welfare (TW) Department, dated 14-10-1982) to earmark 6% of their Plan allocation towards Tribal Sub Plan.