Gandhinagar, Nov 12 (IANS) More than 18,000 tribal beneficiaries in Gujarat will receive land ownership documents carrying 7/12 land records this year, while the state government will launch 14 ‘Johar Cafes’ to promote local tribal cuisine and products as part of week-long celebrations marking the 151st birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda.
The celebrations, to be held from November 12 to 18 as part of ‘National Tribal Pride Day’, will also see the setting up of ‘Shabari Booths’ at weekly markets in the state’s 14 tribal districts.
The booths will provide information about government schemes and facilitate the sale of natural farming products and food items.
Announcing the programmes at a press conference in Gandhinagar on Thursday, Tribal Development Minister Naresh Patel said: “The distribution of land ownership documents is aimed at fulfilling a demand of the tribal community.”
The state will also inaugurate or lay foundation stones for development projects worth more than Rs 2,300 crore on November 15, in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and other ministers.
The 14 Johar Cafes will be established to promote local food and products in tribal districts, while the Shabari Booths will serve as information points for government welfare schemes and platforms for marketing natural farming produce.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had accorded historical recognition to the contribution of tribal revolutionaries by declaring November 15 as Tribal Pride Day,” he said.
He referred to Birsa Munda’s struggle against British rule for the protection of water, forests and land, which he led at the age of 25.
The state government will also install statues of Birsa Munda in the 14 tribal districts and municipal areas where no such statues currently exist.
Major roads connecting taluka and district headquarters, traffic circles and hostels for tribal students will also be named after him.
Highlighting the government’s tribal development initiatives, Patel said: “The budget of the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana, launched in 2007 with an allocation of Rs 15,000 crore, had increased to Rs two lakh crore. Tribal students are now pursuing higher education in medical and engineering institutions and IITs.”
Ganpat Vasava, state president of the BJP’s Tribal Morcha, said the celebrations were being organised under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the state party organisation to take Birsa Munda’s message of “Our Land, Our Rule” to people across Gujarat.
The week-long programme will cover 55 Assembly constituencies in 14 tribal districts, all 34 districts and 17 municipal corporations.
The programme began on November 12 with press conferences at the state, district and municipal corporation levels. On November 13, youth meetings will be held in 55 Assembly constituencies in tribal areas, with around 500 participants expected at each meeting.
The gatherings will focus on Birsa Munda’s life and contribution. On November 14, cleanliness drives will be organised from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Birsa Munda’s statues and surrounding areas.
Local saints, religious leaders and heads of religious institutions will subsequently be felicitated between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. At 6 p.m., his history will be read out in more than 4,500 tribal gram panchayats, followed by special aartis prepared in 12 to 13 tribal languages and the lighting of lamps in households.
Public meetings will be held on November 15 in 14 tribal districts, 20 non-tribal districts and 17 municipal corporations in the presence of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Cabinet members.
The programme on November 16 will include a conference of retired officials, doctors, engineers, lawyers and prominent members of the tribal community.
Traditional sports competitions will be organised across 55 Assembly constituencies on November 17, followed by women’s meetings on November 18, with around 500 tribal women expected to participate in each constituency.
–IANS
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