Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram on Tuesday asserted that no stone would be left unturned in the field of development of tribes in the nation.
Interacting with the media at his official residence, he said his ministry is taking all-around initiatives to bridge the gap in the development of different tribes in the nation.
Mr Oram said the government had approved commemorating Bhagwan Birsa Munda’s 150th birth anniversary as Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh from 15 November 2024 to 15 November 2025.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has outlined a year-long celebration, with states/UTs conducting National-Level Events and State-Level Events through the Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) across the country.
This annual celebration honours the contributions of tribal leaders and communities to India’s freedom struggle and nation-building. Mr Oram said that PM-JANMAN stands as a transformative policy-level initiative aimed at fostering the holistic development of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) across 18 States and one Union Territory.
He informed that with a budgetary outlay of Rs 24,104 Crore (Central Share: Rs 15,336 Crore and State Share: Rs 8,768 Crore), PM-JANMAN is designed to provide equitable access to essential services for PVTG communities, improving their living conditions and facilitating their socio-economic progress. The core objectives include providing safe housing, clean drinking water, enhanced education, healthcare, nutrition, road connectivity, electricity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities within three years.
Talking about the achievements of his ministry, he said that building on the success of the PM-JANMAN scheme, the ministry has launched a transformative multi-sectoral initiative, DhartiAabaJanjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, to ensure the holistic and sustainable development of the tribal population in villages.