Different schemes of the Central and State Governments are being implemented on priority basis in the State to improve the socio-economic status of the people belonging to the tribal communities of the State. More publicity needs to be done to make people more aware of the schemes concerned. Only then more people will be able to take advantage of the same. Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha said this in the review meeting of the Tribal Welfare Department held yesterday. In the meeting, the Chief Minister reviewed different schemes and projects of the Tribal Welfare Department. He said that the state government is working by adopting cluster plans for the development of education, health, communication, infrastructure, culture etc. in the tribal areas of the state. The Prime Minister of the country is also working for the overall welfare of the tribal people of the country which was not observed in the past days. All the work done by the state’s Tribal Welfare Department should be brought in public light through media including social media.
In the meeting, Principal Secretary of Tribal Welfare Department Puneet Agarwal said that 8 more Eklavya model residential schools have been sanctioned in the two financial years 2020-21 and 2021-22 to improve the quality of education of the students from tribal community of the state. Of these, construction work has started on 3 sites and the rest have been identified and handed over to construction companies. He said that boarding house stipend has been provided to 26 thousand 194 students in the financial year 2021-22 through Tribal Welfare Department. Rs. 1889.48 lakh has been spent on it. Besides, the department has targeted to provide boarding house stipend to 29 thousand 500 students in the financial year 2022-23. In the financial year 2021-22, 33 thousand 654 ST students have been awarded pre-matric (6th to 8th standard) scholarships from the state’s own scheme and the expenditure was Rs. 134.55 Lakh. The department is working on a target of providing pre-matric (class VI to VIII) scholarships to 34,000 ST students in the current financial year. In addition, merit scholarships have been given to 33 thousand 125 students from different tribal communities who have achieved success in various fields in the 2021-22 financial year.
The Principal Secretary of Tribal Welfare Department said that in the financial year 2021-22, one-time financial assistance has been provided to 321 tribal beneficiaries in various fields. Rs. 3.5 crore has been spent on it. 28 thousand 671 free textbooks have been distributed among the students of tribal community. Also, 8,950 students from the tribal community have been given special coaching to improve their skills in Mathematics, Science and English etc.
The Principal Secretary said that 30 thousand 435 students have been given post-matric scholarship in the central project in the financial year 2021-22. Also, in the current financial year, the process of giving post matric scholarships to 39 thousand 513 students is going on. He said that the construction of four hostels for the students of the tribal community of the state is currently underway. These are 100-bedded girls hostel in Women College, 50-bedded girls hostel in Ambedkar College in Unakoti district, 50-bedded boys hostel in Gondatwisa Government
Degree College in Dhalai district and 50-bedded girls hostel in Udaipur Girls Higher Secondary School. These hostels are set to be inaugurated by the month of November.
In the review meeting, the Principal Secretary said that 62 villages in Dhalai district have been identified for comprehensive development in the first phase of Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana. 20 lakh 38 thousand rupees will be spent for each village. He said that the Tribal Welfare Department has set a target of setting up 92 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras in the state to encourage establishment of industries based on the state’s forest resources and encourage artisans. Among these, the central government has already sanctioned the establishment of 32 Van Dhan Vikash Kendras. Also, a project has been undertaken for the economic development of tribal areas and Rs. 1,300 crore will be spent on this project. The Principal Secretary of the department also discussed on the Chief Minister’s Rubber Mission, Forest Rights Act and Tribal Research and Cultural Institute in the meeting.
The review meeting was attended by the Tribal Welfare Minister, Rampada Jamatia, Chief Secretary J.K Sinha and other senior officials of the Tribal welfare Department.
