Mumbai, Nov 12 (IANS) The Maharashtra government has organised the ‘Bhagwan Birsa Munda Gaurav Din Saptah (week)’ across the state from November 11 to 18 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’, which is being celebrated across the country.
Various initiatives aimed at promoting the social, educational, economic and cultural development of Scheduled Tribes will be undertaken during this week, informed State Cultural Affairs Minister and Mumbai Suburban Guardian Minister Ashish Shelar during a press conference held on Thursday.
As part of the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Gaurav Din Saptah, cheques will be distributed on November 13 to beneficiaries selected under the Nucleus Budget Scheme.
Benefits will also be extended to women’s self-help groups, while new applications will be accepted and processed for approval. On November 14, cleanliness drives and Deepotsav (festival of lights) will be organised at memorials across the state. On November 15, floral tributes will be offered to Bhagwan Birsa Munda’s portrait at the district level and by various organisations in tribal areas.
A state-level programme will also be held in Gadchiroli on the same day in the presence of the Governor, Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers. Saints and spiritual leaders associated with the tribal community will also be felicitated on the occasion.
On November 16, service camps will be organised to facilitate Aadhaar cards and other government documents. November 17 will see health and nutrition awareness camps, while November 18 will be observed as Tribal Economic, Educational and Social Empowerment Day. Guidance programmes for women’s self-help groups will also be organised on the concluding day, informed Minister Shelar.
To ensure quality education for tribal students, more than 3,000 teachers have been appointed on a contractual basis in ashram schools as a temporary measure, in view of restrictions on regular recruitment. Attendants have also been appointed in ashram schools in tribal areas to look after students’ health and well-being.
A scholarship scheme in the name of Veer Raghoji Bhangre has been launched for meritorious students. Competitive examination preparatory training centres for tribal students have been established in all districts of the state.
For the economic empowerment of tribal women, the Rani Durgavati Women Empowerment Scheme has been launched. The scheme has been designed along the lines of UMED and women’s self-help group initiatives, said Minister Shelar. He mentioned that a decision has also been taken to appoint dedicated teachers for arts, sports and music in tribal schools.
To gain a better understanding of the tribal population and their needs, a survey was conducted based on the 2011 Census. Special packages have been approved for the development of particularly vulnerable tribal groups such as the Kolam, Katkari and Madia communities, as well as for the upliftment of the Pardhi community, a backward and nomadic tribal group.
According to the minister, the government has also taken a decision to establish a university-level study centre dedicated to the research and study of tribal culture, customs, traditions and history. Important decisions have also been taken concerning Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and recruitment.
In his capacity as the Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburban district, he also chaired an important review meeting on environmental issues and tree plantation. The State Government has set a target of planting 300 crore trees over the next 20 years and has taken decisions such as establishing a dedicated commission and developing nurseries to achieve this objective. Mumbai and Mumbai Suburban districts will play an important role in this initiative.
Sharing details of the district’s contribution, Minister Shelar announced that a target of planting five lakh trees has been set for Mumbai Suburban district. So far, 2,12,390 trees have been planted across the district. Available government land has been identified, and tree plantation activities have been planned at various locations in coordination with the District Collector and concerned officials. Alongside tree plantation, special emphasis is being placed on tree conservation. The objective is not merely to plant trees but to ensure their survival and healthy growth. Modern technology is being deployed to achieve this. Initiatives include plantation through the Miyawaki method, geo-mapping and regular monitoring of tree growth.
Citizen participation, along with the involvement of concerned government agencies, will be crucial to the success of the tree plantation and conservation campaign in Mumbai Suburban district.
Minister Shelar also stated that suggestions and expectations from citizens regarding environmental issues would be taken into consideration to make the initiative more effective.
–IANS
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