MARGAO
With an estimated Rs 1,400 crore expected to flow to the Tribal Welfare Department under the Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), Tribal Welfare Minister Ramesh Tawadkar on Friday said the department would leave no stone unturned to ensure the funds are effectively utilised to make Goa’s Scheduled Tribe communities Swayampurna by 2037.
Tawadkar also directed officials and elected representatives from the Scheduled Tribe communities to complete the groundwork for laying the foundation stones for 100 houses on a single day for the benefit of Adivasi families.
Addressing the media after the Janjatiya Manthan Shibir for tribal elected representatives at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, Tawadkar said the department is expected to receive Rs 1,400 crore under the Tribal Sub-Plan to implement projects under both the Tribal Welfare Department and other departments.
“We will take all necessary steps to utilise the funds. This is the first time that the Tribal Sub-Plan has come under the control of the Tribal Welfare Department. The department now has complete control over the Tribal Sub-Plan and will make every effort to utilise the funds during the current financial year,” he said.
Stating that the technical cell under the Tribal Sub-Plan is also now under the department’s control, Tawadkar said technical teams would be deployed to tribal-inhabited areas to assess the communities’ requirements in sectors such as health, education and agriculture. “We have identified 11 parameters while preparing the vision document. We expect the roadmap to be ready by August 14, and the vision document will be unveiled on August 15 before implementation of various schemes for the Scheduled Tribes begins,” he added.
On the contentious issue of political reservation for the Scheduled Tribes, Tawadkar said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, BJP State president Damodar (Damu) Naik and he had reviewed the matter. “I am confident that the notification to initiate the process for reserving four Assembly seats for the Scheduled Tribe communities will be issued soon,” he said.
