PATNA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a visit to Jamui on Friday, congratulated the tribal community on the ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’ and praised their recent mega endeavour towards the Swachh Bharat Mission.
He also slammed the previous Congress regimes for keeping the tribal community deprived and at a disadvantage for many decades after Independence.
"Today, the country is celebrating Kartik Purnima, Dev Deepawali and also the 500th Prakash Parv of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Today is a historic day for every countryman for one more reason. Today is the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. I congratulate all the countrymen and particularly my tribal brothers and sisters on Tribal Pride Day, " PM Modi said, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
Addressing the huge gathering in Jamui, the Prime Minister spoke about a series of tribal welfare steps undertaken by the BJP-led NDA government and stated that their development ranks among the government’s top priorities.
Attributing their backwardness to past regimes’ ignorance, PM Modi said that previous dispensations left the tribal communities in despair but for the BJP-NDA government since Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure, their welfare has remained of paramount importance.
"We have launched Rs 24, 000 crore JanMan Yojana for the most backward tribal communities. Today, houses are being built for them, roads are being constructed to link them with the mainstream, " PM Modi highlighted.
“It was under the BJP-led NDA that a separate ministry was formed for their welfare. The allocated fund for their welfare which earlier stood at just Rs 25, 000 crore has been increased five times to Rs 1, 25, 000 crore, ” PM Modi said.
He further stated that Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyaan has been launched with a mission to develop 60, 000 tribal villages.
“A sum of Rs 80, 000 crore will be invested over the next few years to improve the lives of tribal communities by connecting them with the mainstream. Youths will be given training, and locals will be encouraged to develop tourism hotspots by promoting eco-tourism in natural habitats, ” PM Modi remarked.
He also spoke about the upcoming Eklavya schools network under which the students of tribal communities will be imparted medical, engineering and other education in their native language.
On the occasion of the commencement of the 150th birth anniversary year celebration of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, PM Modi also released a commemorative coin and postage stamp.
Explaining the importance of organising the 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, he said that this is an honest effort to recognise and realise his immense contributions in the country's development as this was ignored and neglected for decades since Independence.