New Delhi
Two months since the launch of the Rs 24,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday interacted with some of the beneficiaries hailing from 188 districts across India via video-conferencing.
He also released the first instalment of Rs 540 crore to 1 lakh beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) under PM-JANMAN that focuses on 11 critical interventions through 9 Ministries for safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, electricity, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities for the PVTG households and habitations.
PM-JANMAN was launched November 15, 2023, on the occasion of tribal icon Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary that is now celebrated annually.
Addressing the beneficiaries, with whom he also had light-hearted interactions, the PM invoked Adivasi Shabari to say that no tale of Lord Ram is complete without the mention of the role of tribals. Lord Ram will also be housed in his grand temple on January 22, when we will celebrate it like Deepwali. You all should also ensure that this year you will celebrate Diwali in your own houses (under PMAY-G),” Modi said.
“I am fortunate that I have been invited for the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony Ram temple in Ayodhya. I have also started an 11-day special anushthan ahead of ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony,” he maintained.
“The government schemes should reach the most backward tribal brothers and sisters, this is the objective of PM-JANMAN. The government is putting all its efforts to ensure that every scheme of the government reaches them. Now none of my extremely backward brothers and sisters will be left out of the benefits of the government scheme,” the PM outlined.
Modi took stock of whether his Government’s schemes are reaching to the people they are intended for.
The Prime Minister said, “There is a festive atmosphere in the country at this time. Uttarayan, Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Bihu. On one hand, when Diwali is being celebrated in Ayodhya, on the other, one lakh of my extremely backward tribal brothers and sisters, who are members of my family are celebrating Diwali at their homes, this in itself is a great happiness for me. Today money is being transferred to their bank accounts for a pucca house. I congratulate all these families and wish them a very happy Makar Sankranti.”
The Modi government is striving to reach out to the 39 lakh Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, the most backward among the tribals, with the PM-JANMAN scheme.
In the last two months, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs claimed, more than 10 lakh beneficiaries through 8,000 camps have joined PM-JANMAN; 2,5 lakh farmers have been identified for PM Samman Nidhi, 70,000 people got Aadhaar and 82,000 got Ayushman Cards.
The PM pointed out that the Tribal Affairs Ministry’s budget was increased nearly five times and scholarships have been guaranteed to 2.5 lakh students.
