JAMMU: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today conducted a comprehensive review of the implementation of welfare initiatives being undertaken by the Tribal Affairs Department under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA) for the upliftment of the tribal population across J&K.
The review meeting besides Secretary, Tribal Affairs Department; was also attended by Managing Director, JKRLM; Director General, Codes; Director General, Resources; Deputy Director General, NIC; Director, Tribal Affairs Department (TAD), besides other concerned senior officers.
Deputy Commissioners from all districts participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
During the review, the Chief Secretary impressed upon the Deputy Commissioners to ensure timely completion of all works sanctioned under the DA-JGUA scheme. He took stock of the projects already taken up as well as those yet to be tendered and sought district-wise updates on their progress. Emphasizing strict monitoring, he directed the district administrations to adhere to stipulated timelines to ensure tangible outcomes on the ground.
The Chief Secretary also underscored the need to strengthen outreach activities aimed at creating awareness among tribal communities about legal safeguards and entitlements available to them. He advised the Department to formulate a comprehensive plan for a widespread awareness campaign, alongside scaling up the provision of legal aid to members of the tribal community requiring such support.
Reviewing the status of educational infrastructure, the Chief Secretary took note of the establishment and functioning of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) and tribal hostels across the UT. He called for expeditious completion and operationalisation of these institutions to enhance access to quality education for tribal students.
The meeting also witnessed a detailed review of pre-matric and post-matric scholarships being disbursed to tribal students, as well as the constitution and functioning of Forest Rights Act (FRA) cells in each district. The Chief Secretary stressed the early activation of these FRA cells to ensure effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act and timely redressal of issues faced by tribal communities.
The Chief Secretary further reviewed the progress under the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Vikas Yojana (PMVDVY), particularly the training of tribal members for livelihood enhancement. He directed the Department to expedite the finalisation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NISBUD, Noida, for capacity building and the subsequent establishment of Van DhanVikas Kendras (VDVKs) across the UT.
Secretary, Tribal Affairs Department, Prasanna Ramaswamy G, while briefing the meeting on the implementation of various welfare programmes, informed that over 70 percent expenditure has already been achieved under the DA-JGUA scheme in Jammu and Kashmir. He presented a detailed district-wise performance under UT Capex, Tribal Sub-Plan, DA-JGUA, and PM-AAGY schemes, besides sharing the physical and financial status of works undertaken under these initiatives. He also apprised the meeting about the progress in completion of EMRS schools and tribal hostels across different districts.
Director, Tribal Affairs Department, Mukhtar Ahmad, informed that out of 28 tribal hostels in the UT, 16 are fully functional, while 12 existing hostels along with five newly constructed ones are in the process of being made operational through deployment of requisite staff.
Managing Director, JKRLM, Subhra Sharma, highlighted the pivotal role of JKRLM in implementing the livelihood and enterprise components of DA-JGUA by leveraging its DAY-NRLM institutional systems and community-based platforms. She stated that JKRLM is acting as the implementing and mentoring agency for DA-JGUA-linked VDVKs by mobilising ST beneficiaries, facilitating training, mentoring, and handholding support. She added that JKRLM is also focused on strengthening governance and financial management of VDVKs, monitoring outcomes, and ensuring long-term sustainability of tribal enterprises.