NEW DELHI: With November 15 slated to be observed as the “Janjatiya Gaurav Divas” every year, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has planned a slew of programs to uplift the spirit of the tribal communities. They include establishment of archery academies and development of more than 35,000 tribal villages as “Tribal Model Villages” by 2026.
The ministry has also planned a mega event at Ulihatu, the native village of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda in Khunti district of Jharkhand, to mark the Janjatiya Gaurav Divas. President Droupadi Murmu will attend the event.
Speaking to the reporters on Saturday, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs and president of Archery Association of India, Arjun Munda said, “The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has started working to set up more than 100 archery academics in the premises of Eklavaya Model Residential Schools spread across the country to promote talent amongst tribal children by honing their archery skills.”
He further said that 100 archery academics would be set up by the ministry with the support of NTPC as an initiative to promote tribal talents in archery right from the school level. “Not only this, the Union government is also working on a plan to provide education up to Class 12 on the pattern of the CBSE board in the Eklavaya Model Residential Schools,” he said.
Besides this, Munda said, the ministry has identified 35,000 tribal villages to develop as “Tribal Model Villages” — right from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat and Kashmir to Kanyakumari on a mission mode by 2026. “Till now, 7500 out of 35,000 identified tribal villages have already been linked with this initiative of the ministry. In each of these villages, all basic facilities, including high-speed internet service through optical fiberes, would be ensured. And, the Union government has sanctioned Rs 7,500 crore to lay the optical fibers for this purpose,” he said.
Quoting data, the minister said that India has around 30% of the world’s tribal population and the government is committed to bringing them into the mainstream of development.
He also informed the media that all the 26 tribal research institutes, which are run by the ministry, have been asked to conduct a number of cultural and traditional activities across the country to observe November 15 as “Janajatiya Gaurav Divas” in glory and grandeur of tribal communities and their contributions to the nation.
The Minister said that on the special occasion of JanJatiya Gaurav Divas 2022, TRIFED has organised a host of pan-India events on tribal products.
An Aadi Mahotsav will be held at the Gramin Haat in Indore from 15th to 27th November, whereas, an Aadi Bazaar will be held at Ekamra Haat, Bhubaneshwar from 15th to 21st November.
Another Aadi Bazaar will be put up at the Lakhidhar Bora Khetra Digali Pukhuri, South Guwahati from the 15th to 21st November.
In Puducherry, an Aadi Bazaar will be the highlight at the Craft Bazaar from the 15th to the 21st of November, while an Aadi Bazaar will be organised at the Forest Research Institute on Chakrata Road in Dehradun from the 15th to the 21st of November.
Finally, an Aadi Chitra Programme will be held in the Indian Museum in Kolkata from the 15th to the 24th of November 2022.
Munda said that other Union ministers will also participate in the programs organised in their respective states.