Jammu: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha Wednesday reiterated the government’s commitment for ensuring the overall development of J&K’s tribal population.
At the ceremony of ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’ here at the General Zorawar Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu, Sinha said the UT administration has taken several initiatives to ensure livelihood support and empowerment of tribals.
“New transit accommodations, tribal health scheme, and smart schools will certainly improve the quality of life,” he remarked.
According to an official press release, the LG also observed that the tribal-centric reforms and policies that the government is implementing on the ground for the socio-economic development of the tribal community will fulfill the dreams of this community, while keeping their unique culture, languages and traditions alive.
“Culture not only enriches individual’s life but also strengthens community. It is the need of the hour to preserve and promote rich tribal cultural heritage,” he added.
On the occasion, the LG announced that the state helicopter will be deployed for the tribal population during medical emergencies. “This will help in timely diagnosis and treatment for the needy patients,” he added.
While highlighting the reforms introduced by the government for the welfare and interest of the tribal community, the LG said that comprehensive strategy has been developed for modernizing the requisite infrastructure and providing public services in tribal dominated areas.
“Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, the J&K government is working relentlessly to usher in a new dawn of social equality by implementing the rights of this deprived section guaranteed by the constitution and the parliament of the country,” he added.
The LG also noted that “through several interventions like tribal tourist villages, clusters of tribal self help groups, tribal model and milk villages, promoting minor forest products and more such programs of Mission Youth, the UT government is paving a strong foundation for progress and growth of the present and the future generations of the tribal community by connecting them with the mainstream of development.”
To provide institutional support to all scholars and thinkers working on tribal culture and civilization, Tribal Research Institute is being set up in the UT, he added.
The LG said that the government is establishing transit accommodation at eight different places costing Rs 28 crore, for the convenience of the tribal population during their seasonal migration.
The LG also informed that more than 4,500 tribal community youth have been made entrepreneurs through mini sheep farms and dairy units within three months, exceeding the target of 3,000.
Farooq Khan, Advisor to the LG, in his address, termed the occasion as one of its kind which brought together all the tribal communities on a single platform. He congratulated the Tribal Affairs Department for working day and night for implementation of schemes and policies on the ground.
Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary, while speaking on the occasion, highlighted the “ground-breaking decisions taken by the government for the welfare of the tribal communities”.
The UT administration will ensure that every facility including education, health, sports, banking, skill development reaches the tribal population across J&K, he added.
Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Administrative Secretary, Tribal Affairs Department delivered the welcome address and gave a detailed overview of the various activities organized to mark the ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’.
A documentary – “An introduction to Tribal groups of J&K” and tribal music and dance performances were the main highlights of the occasion.
