VISAKHAPATNAM: Tribal welfare minister Ravela Kishore Babu and HRD minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao laid the foundation stone for the Alluri Sitaramraju Tribal Museum at Timmapuram in Visakhapatnam district on the eve of the birth anniversary of Alluri Sitaramraju. A foundation stone was also laid for the Rs 10 crore tribal cultural research and training centre at Rushikonda.
The Tribal Museum, which will be constructed at a cost of Rs 20 crore on a nine-acre land is expected to be completed within a year. Similarly, the Tribal Cultural Research and Training Centre, as part of promoting tribal culture, would delve into the history of different tribes, their lifestyle, culture and also help in curbing fake caste certificates.
Speaking on the occasion, Kishore Babu said that all the existing social welfare hostels in the state will be upgraded into residential schools within the next four-five years to provide better access to education to tribal students. He said that the State Government is committed to providing corporate education to students from SC and ST communities and hence started residential colleges besides arranging for education of students in corporate institutions. About 2,100 tribal students have already been admitted into corporate educational institutions at an expense of Rs 6.3 crore and efforts are on to provide similar facilities to another 8,000 tribal students soon.
“The State Government will provide all necessary support to tribal students to pursue higher studies even in foreign countries. Through ‘NTR Vidyonnathi’ scheme, the government has signed an agreement with five training institutes who would provide the best available coaching for aspiring civil servants from the community at Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad,” the minister said.
Earlier in the day, the minister inaugurated the social welfare integrated hostel constructed at an expenditure of Rs 3 crore at Madhurawada.
Later, HRD minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao inaugurated the Alluri Sitaramaraju museum at Silparamam in Madhurawada. Sculptors from West Bengal have worked on the sculptures placed at the museum which narrate the life of Sitaramraju.