Indian Tribal News Service
New Delhi
Highlighting the Modi government’s measures for the tribal community as part of the ‘Samajik Nyay Pakhwada’ (fortnight dedicated to social justice) being observed by the BJP to mark its foundation day, which was on April 6, the party on Friday said that the Modi government has eight members from the community in the council of ministers and who are in a position to lead the society and ensure that the community gets due support, respect and encouragement.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia also told media persons that out of the nearly 10 crore beneficiaries of the Mudra scheme, over 50 per cent are from the Scheduled Castes, ST and other backward classes.
Bhatia said this has effected positive change in their lives and boosted employment even as he referred to the ‘Stand Up India’ programme in the context.
“In the truest sense, people from SC and ST communities have been able to become job creators from job-seekers. Over Rs 1,100 crore was allocated for education among SC and ST members in the first budget of the Modi government. It has now been increased to Rs 6,000 crore,” the BJP spokesperson said.
He said that over 36,428 villages with ST majority are being developed as “ideal villages” with an expenditure of Rs 7,300 crore and districts with big ST population have also been chosen in the
government’s programme to be developed as “aspirational district”.
He pointed out that the Eklavya Model Residential Schools have received focus for good education for children from the ST community and 452 new schools will be built for them in next five years while 211 will be renovated.
While freedom fighters from the community were ignored by the earlier governments, the Modi dispensation has gone a long way in highlighting their contributions, Bhatia said.
Modi had inaugurated the Birsa Munda Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum in Ranchi on the tribal icon’s birth anniversary on November 15, which the Centre has declared to be observed as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas every year.
The BJP is focusing on the Scheduled Tribes big time with an aim to improve its performance.
