Cites state leading in implementation welfare initiatives for tribals
Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant inaugurate two buses to provide free transport facility to students under District Mineral Fund.
PANAJI/SANGUEM
Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram on Thursday praised Goa for its leadership in tribal empowerment under the Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan, calling the State a frontrunner in implementing welfare initiatives for tribal communities.
“Goa is leading in tribal empowerment,” said Oram after inaugurating the flagship programme ‘Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan’, a mega outreach event organised by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Directorate of Tribal Welfare to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda at the Sanguem Municipal Council Hall.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar, Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phaldessai and Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Tanavade were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.
Speaking further, Oram said the central government has identified all the needs of the tribals and has allocated Rs 79,000 crore for three years and 18 union ministries will work on Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.
“Pucca houses, strengthening of road infrastructure in rural area, potable water supply through taps, electricity under revamped distribution sector, off grid solar through new solar power scheme, improved access to education, health coverage and nutrition, providing mobile network in villages, sustainable agriculture, promoting fish culture ecosystem and on various other fields work will be undertaken. There will be no shortage of funds,” he reiterated.
“Sometimes, I have sleepless nights thinking about how to ensure full utilisation of this budget,” Oram said, encouraging state governments to make effective use of these funds.
Oram said that all tribal households would be covered under the PM Awas Yojana, every village would get tap water through the Nal Se Jal scheme, and a 25,000-km road network would be built to improve connectivity.
He also announced the launch of mobile medical units equipped to detect diseases like cancer, which would be stationed at weekly markets to ensure accessibility.
Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar said more than 20 schemes are available for the tribals and added that Goa can be a model state for the all-round development of the Tribals.
Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phaldessai said the State government is working tirelessly to bring Janjatiya in main stream and for all round development and welfare of the people of the State. Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Tanavade also spoke on the occasion.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has recently launched a new scheme, Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram-Utkarsh Abhiyan, which will be covering 63,000 villages all over India. In Goa, 25 villages have been identified under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram-Utkarsh Abhiyan.
On the occasion, benefits were extended to beneficiaries under the different 15 State and Central Government schemes.
The public also took the benefit of a health check-up, cancer detection camp and dental health check-up camps. Two buses to providing transport facility free of cost for students under District Mineral Fund were flagged off on the occasion.
Besides, 13 departments set up stalls to serve the public to avail the benefits of various government schemes.
Others present on the occasion included Sanvordem MLA Ganesh Gaonkar, Sanguem Municipal Council Chairperson Santiksha Gadkar, ZP Member Suresh Kepekar, Chairman of Goa State Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation Limited Vasudev Gaonkar, Secretary (Tribal Welfare) Chesta Yadav, IAS, Director of Tribal Welfare, Dipak Dessai and South District Collector Egna Cletus, IAS were present on the occasion.
