Mumbai, November 15 (Yes Punjab News)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday criticised previous governments, saying they neither understood tribal communities nor cared about their welfare.
He made the remarks during a virtual interaction with members of tribal communities from across the country at the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas programme in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, marking the 151st birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda.
During the interaction, tribal beneficiaries shared their experiences of various Central and state government welfare schemes.
Speaking to Vajir from Hathakundi village in Gujarat’s Bharuch district, who had received training in bamboo work under the state’s New Gujarat Pattern Yojana in 2004, Modi referred to the restrictions imposed on bamboo under British rule.
“Vajir ji, you are likely aware that the British devised a major ploy by classifying bamboo as a ‘tree’; consequently, anyone who cut bamboo would be thrown into jail. This law should have been abolished after independence. However, regrettably, some individuals in the previous governments neither understood the tribal communities nor cared about them,” the Prime Minister said.
He added that his government had ended the law and ensured that tribal communities had full rights over bamboo. Vajir also said he had benefited from several schemes under PM-JANMAN.
Krishna Nagorao Teka, a beneficiary of PM-JANMAN from Maharashtra’s Yavatmal, told the Prime Minister that his family had received a permanent house, a toilet and other facilities under the scheme, easing the difficulties they previously faced during the rainy season.
Modi said he was happy that the mission had brought changes to the lives of beneficiaries and improved facilities in their villages while allowing them to remain connected to their cultural heritage.
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Another participant, Sabavat Anvesh from Hyderabad, thanked the Prime Minister for introducing PM SHRI Schools, saying the initiative was helping students pursue higher education.
During the programme, Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 246 development projects worth around Rs 3,000 crore. The initiatives are aimed at improving education, healthcare, livelihood opportunities and community infrastructure for tribal communities.
Of these, 173 projects were inaugurated, including 38 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) for tribal students and 100 Multi-Purpose Centres under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN).
Other inaugurated projects included initiatives under PM-JANMAN and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA), the Tribal Research Institute building in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Ropuiliani Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum in Aizawl, Mizoram.
The Prime Minister also laid foundation stones for 19 new Eklavya Model Residential Schools and 12 Tribal Multi-purpose Marketing Centres to improve educational opportunities and market access for tribal producers. Foundation stones were also laid for 42 other projects under PM-JANMAN and DAJGUA.
The programme marked the culmination of Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada, observed across the country from November 1 to 15.
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