PM Modi to unveil key projects on Friday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch projects worth more than ₹6,640 crore on the birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda on Friday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch projects worth more than ₹6,640 crore on the birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda on Friday. Modi will also be launching several other initiatives for the tribal community during his visit to Jamui in Bihar, to commemorate Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, marking the beginning of the 150th Birth Anniversary Year celebrations of Birsa Munda.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be launching several other initiatives for the tribal community during his visit to Jamui in Bihar, to commemorate Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, marking the beginning of the 150th Birth Anniversary Year celebrations of Birsa Munda. (ANI)

Tribal affairs Minister Jual Oram, speaking at a press conference in Jamui said that the Prime Minister’s visit is part of the “government’s broader approach to ensuring the development of tribal regions through a whole of government strategy, bringing together central and state governments, along with various stakeholders, to work toward inclusive and sustainable growth.”

The funds earmarked for schemes targetting scheduled tribes (STs) have increased by 5.7 times from ₹24,600 crore in 2013-14 (when the first Narendra Modi-led government took over) to ₹1.23 lakh crore (budgeted) in 2024-25.

During his visit, Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for multiple development projects worth over ₹6,640 crore. These projects will focus on infrastructure, healthcare, education, and livelihood generation in tribal regions, underscoring the government’s commitment to the holistic development of these communities.

In the education sector, Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate 10 Eklavya Model Residential Schools and 300 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs), which are designed to promote entrepreneurship and improve the livelihoods of tribal communities. The government has thus far created 3900 such VDVKs around India, catering to around 1.2 million tribal entrepreneurs. The number of Ekalavya schools now stands at 476. The preservation of tribal heritage will also be a focus, with the inauguration of two Tribal Freedom Fighters’ Museums and two Tribal Research Institutes, which will document and preserve the history and culture of India’s tribal populations.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stones for 500 km of new roads and 100 Multi-Purpose Centres (MPCs) under PM-JANMAN, which will improve connectivity and provide community spaces in tribal areas. The expansion of housing infrastructure will also be a key focus, with the laying of foundation stones for 25,000 new houses under PM-JANMAN and 1.16 lakh houses under DAJGUA, as well as 66 hostels under PM-JANMAN and 304 hostels under DAJGUA to ensure better living conditions for tribal students and families.

On Janjatiya Gaurav Divas 2023, Modi launched two key initiatives, the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyay Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) and the Viksit Bharat Abhiyan, both aimed at advancing the welfare of tribal communities. Additionally, the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Utkarsh Gram Abhiyan, launched in October 2024, focuses on the comprehensive development of over 63,000 tribal villages.

According to the data shared by tribal affairs ministry, enrolment of tribal students in schools has risen from 34,000 in 2013-14 to over 1.3 lakh in 2023-24, driven by the expansion of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS). Scholarships for over three million tribal students have been distributed, with ₹17,000 crore allocated over the past ten years. Additionally, the government also launched the Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, which has screened 46 million people and aims to reach 70 million within three years. The ministry also said that the removal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir has “increased access to education and employment for tribal groups” in the region.