Daijiworld Media Network - Gadchiroli
Gadchiroli, Nov 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday criticised previous governments for neglecting tribal communities, alleging that they neither understood their concerns nor gave sufficient attention to their welfare. He highlighted the Centre's initiatives for tribal development and said his government was committed to ensuring that tribal communities received their rights and access to basic facilities.
Modi was addressing the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas programme organised in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, to mark the 151st birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda. During the event, he virtually interacted with tribal community members from across the country, who shared their experiences of various government welfare schemes.
During an interaction with Vajir from Hathakundi village in Gujarat's Bharuch district, the Prime Minister discussed the impact of the New Gujarat Pattern Yojana. Vajir said he had received training in bamboo work under the Gujarat government scheme in 2004 and had also benefited from initiatives under the PM-JANMAN scheme.
Responding to him, Modi referred to restrictions imposed during British rule on cutting bamboo and criticised previous governments for not removing the restrictions after Independence. He said his government had changed the law and ensured that tribal communities received rights over bamboo.
The Prime Minister also interacted with Krishna Nagorao Teka, a PM-JANMAN beneficiary from Maharashtra's Yavatmal district. Teka described the difficulties his family had faced while living in a temporary house, particularly during the rainy season. He said the family had received a permanent house, a toilet and other facilities under the scheme, which had improved their living conditions.
Modi said he was pleased that the PM-JANMAN Mission had brought positive changes to the lives of tribal families. He stressed the importance of ensuring development reaches villages while communities remain connected to their cultural heritage.
Another participant, Sabavat Anvesh from Hyderabad, thanked the Prime Minister for the PM SHRI Schools initiative, saying it 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, livelihoods and infrastructure for tribal communities.
Among the projects inaugurated were 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 projects were launched under PM-JANMAN and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA).
The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Tribal Research Institute building in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Ropuiliani Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum in Aizawl, Mizoram, aimed at preserving tribal history, culture and heritage.
He laid the foundation stones for 19 new Eklavya Model Residential Schools to expand access to quality education for tribal children and 12 Tribal Multi-purpose Marketing Centres (TMMCs) to improve market access for tribal producers. Another 42 projects under PM-JANMAN and DAJGUA were also included in the foundation stone-laying programme.
The event marked the conclusion of Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada, observed across the country from November 1 to 15, celebrating the contributions of tribal communities to India's history and highlighting initiatives aimed at their development.