Latest news with #BhagwanBirsaMunda
News18
3 days ago
- General
- News18
CM Patel inaugurates urban forest park in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, Aug 8 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday inaugurated an urban forest park developed by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation using the Miyawaki method in Lambha area of the city. He also unveiled a statue of tribal icon Bhagwan Birsa Munda on the occasion, an official release said. The Miyawaki method, invented by a Japanese botanist, involves planting a variety of native trees and shrubs close together to mimic a natural forest system. The urban forest has been developed over 4,464 square meters at a cost of Rs 55 lakh under the public-private partnership model, and houses some 8,000 indigenous trees including teak, khair (Cutch tree), bamboo, siris (Albizia lebbeck), sissu (Dalbergia sissoo) and arjun (Terminalia arjuna). It also includes a 250-meter walkway. To transform Ahmedabad into a green city, the municipal corporation has launched the campaign `Mission Four Million Trees 2025" with a target of planting 40 lakh trees, and 27,11,443 trees have been planted so far, the release said. With 66.77 per cent of the target achieved, the AMC is set to complete the remaining plantation work in the coming days, it added. The corporation has so far developed 198 `oxygen parks' or urban forests using the Miyawaki method and dense plantation techniques. Ahmedabad has a total of 310 public gardens. The Garden Department has planted more than one crore trees across the city in the last six years, said the release. PTI PJT KRK view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
17-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Kanker: Witnessing Transformation In An Aspirational & LWE-Affected District
Last Updated: Kanker serves as a live laboratory of this transition—a testament to the impact of focused governance, community engagement, and persistent delivery Last fortnight, I visited Kanker in Chhattisgarh—one of the districts historically affected by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), along with Bijapur, Sukma, and Narayanpur. Notably, Bastar and Kondagaon have recently been removed from the Ministry of Home Affairs' list of LWE-affected areas. Kanker is also among the 112 districts selected under the Government of India's Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP). These two aspects—LWE legacy and aspirational district status—motivated my visit, particularly in light of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent assertion that several aspirational districts are now doing better than their respective state averages. While searching for the local MLA, I came across a government-organised workshop attended by over 300 people at a local school. This was no ordinary event—it was a well-coordinated awareness and registration drive under the Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan, launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs on 15 June to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary year of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, revered as Dharti Aaba. Just two days later, on 17 June, this full-fledged programme was already underway in Kanker's remote tribal belts—a reflection of the speed and seriousness of the government's efforts. The campaign is grounded in a benefit saturation model, aiming to ensure that every tribal household not yet covered under any central welfare scheme is identified and brought into the fold. The workshop embodied the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach—various departments had set up stalls for on-the-spot registration under flagship schemes. I was informed that officials would also visit villages to conduct door-to-door outreach, further ensuring last-mile delivery. An important partner at the state level is the Development Evaluation Society of India, tasked with identifying excluded tribal beneficiaries. At the Amoda village panchayat office, I met two of their field investigators—Parmeshwar Kashyap and Radhika Nayak—who are among 150 personnel currently collecting and forwarding data on tribal households not availing benefits under 36 key centrally-sponsored schemes. Their field reports suggest high outreach and coverage in schemes like PM Awas Yojana, Kisan Samman Nidhi, Ujjwala Yojana, pensions, and Swachh Bharat toilets. However, they highlighted certain delivery gaps, especially in the Har Ghar Jal (tap water) initiative. My village visits—to Amoda, Anjani, Bans Patthar, and Thega—revealed similar trends. In these areas, residents reported availing benefits from multiple schemes, including MGNREGA, PM Anna Kalyan Yojana, and others. Most villages had achieved ODF (Open Defecation Free) status, with toilets in every household. One recurring concern, however, was poor mobile connectivity, which sometimes hampers delivery of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)-linked schemes. Villagers requested improved mobile infrastructure to mitigate these issues. A local social activist pointed out an interesting sociopolitical observation: Scheduled Castes in the state have become more adept at leveraging welfare schemes due to increased political awareness, whereas Scheduled Tribes often remain underserved despite being the focus of targeted initiatives. This makes outreach efforts like the Dharti Aaba campaign even more critical. At the helm of these efforts is District Magistrate Nilesh Kumar Kshirsagar, whose proactive governance style stood out. He has repurposed an old building into a central library, which now serves as a vibrant knowledge hub for the youth especially who are preparing for the competitive exams. His emphasis on innovation and saturation delivery is yielding visible results. He confidently asserted that many schemes in Kanker are performing better than non-aspirational districts, validating the strategic intent behind the ADP framework. Rise of Neo-Middle Class What I witnessed in Kanker aligns with broader national narratives. The World Bank recently reported that 270 million Indians have moved out of extreme poverty in the past decade. Additionally, the International Labour Organisation claims that 64 per cent of India's population (approx. 94 crore people) now falls under some form of social security net, up from just 24 per cent in 2019. These numbers are not just statistics—they represent the rise of a neo-middle class in India: a segment that may not be wealthy but is no longer poor, and is filled with aspiration. Kanker serves as a live laboratory of this transition—a testament to the impact of focused governance, community engagement, and persistent delivery. The author teaches Political Science at Satyawati College, University of Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. First Published: June 30, 2025, 15:49 IST
The Hindu
23-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
IIT Madras organises international conference on Birsa Munda
A two-day international conference on tribal resistance, resilience, and 150 years of Birsa Munda, organised by the Humanities and Social Sciences department of IIT Madras, engaged with themes of tribal history, resistance movements, and future possibilities. Titled 'Tribal Resistance, Resilience and Reimagining Future: Celebrating 150 years of Bhagwan Birsa Munda', the conference featured 80 scholars and community leaders from across the globe. Indrasena Reddy Nallu, Governor of Tripura, said that indigenous knowledge of the tribes of India requires to be integrated with modern science and technology. Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, Prof. Rajesh Kumar, Head of Humanities and Social Sciences department, IIT Madras, and Prof. Sathyanarayan N. Gummadi, Dean (Students) IIT Madras, spoke at the event.
India Gazette
25-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
India proud of its armed forces for their bravery, courage and unwavering resolve: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla
Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) [India], May 25 (ANI): Underscoring Bharat's unwavering commitment to national security and its firm stance against terrorism, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has hailed the commitment and valour of India's armed forces. He said that India is proud of its armed forces for their bravery, courage, and unwavering resolve, Lok Sabha Secretariat said in an official statement on Sunday. In a powerful statement, he cautioned that if any country or terrorist organization spreads terror in India, its consequences will be more serious than Operation Sindoor. India has not only strengthened its internal security apparatus but has also sent a clear and resolute message to the world in this regard, he added. He also urged that a sense of collective interest should guide us on matters of national security. Birla made these remarks while addressing a distinguished gathering at the Platinum Jubilee celebration of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Jamshedpur on Sunday. In his first visit to Jharkhand as Lok Sabha Speaker, Birla paid rich tributes to Bhagwan Birsa Munda and the land of Jharkhand. He paid floral tributes to Bhagwan Birsa Munda at Birsa Chowk, Ranchi and visited Birsa Munda Museum lauding the contribution of tribal communities in country's development. He described Jharkhand as a region that gave India both Bhagwan Birsa Munda and Jamshedji Tata. He noted that Bhagwan Birsa Munda ignited a long and brave struggle for tribal dignity and self-respect and highlighted the vision of Jamshedji Tata who laid the foundation for India's industrial awakening long before Independence. Speaking on India's remarkable progress in achieving self-reliance in the defence sector, Om Birla noted that a country once heavily reliant on imports has now emerged as a rising force in the manufacturing and export of defence equipment. He emphasized that this significant transformation, fuelled by innovation and robust policy support, has unlocked new opportunities for Indian MSMEs and industries to play a direct and meaningful role in strengthening national security. He said that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has embraced a clear and ambitious goal of Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence production. Birla further highlighted that the backbone of the nation's growing military strength is firmly supported by the dedication and capabilities of its industrial sector. Birla stressed that we must work collectively and harness the forces of technology, competition, and skill development to realize the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. He opined that India's greatest strength lies in its young and skilled population. Observing that in a rapidly changing global economy where competition extends beyond goods and services to talent and innovation, Birla said that Indian youth are emerging as global leaders. He added that many Indians now head multinational corporations across sectors, which is a testament to India's intellectual and entrepreneurial prowess. Underlining that India's educational landscape is also evolving, Birla mentioned that with the introduction of the New Education Policy, institutions like IITs and AIIMS are being reshaped into global research and innovation centres. He also said that these institutions are being encouraged to collaborate with industries, fostering ecosystems similar to those seen in the most advanced economies. Birla encouraged all stakeholders to make efforts to tap vast opportunities in sectors such as information technology, green energy, defence technology, and advanced manufacturing. He added that the time has come not just to support large industrial entities, but to lead innovation in frontier sectors. He gave a clarion call to invest in youth skilling, innovation, and global collaboration, and to ensure India becomes a beacon of sustainable and inclusive growth. Commending the long history of the Singhbhum Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Birla noted with pride that over the decades, the Chamber has played a pivotal role in shaping the economic and technological landscape of the region and the nation. He urged the Chamber to act not merely as a representative body, but as a forum for democratic dialogue--a space where the private sector, government, and civil society could jointly plan India's industrial and economic future. Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth; former Chief Minister and Union Minister, Arjun Munda; and Member of Parliament, Bidyut Baran Mahato and other dignitaries graced the occasion. Earlier, Om Birla was accorded a traditional welcome at Ranchi airport and was received by Rabindra Nath Mahto, Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha Speaker and Sanjay Seth, Union Minister of State for Defence. (ANI)
India Gazette
25-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Birsa Munda fought long battle for forest, land of tribals": Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla
Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], May 25 (ANI): Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday garlanded the statue of Bhagwan Birsa Munda at Jail Museum in Ranchi. The Lok Sabha speaker stated that Birsa Munda fought a long battle for the honour, self-respect, water, forest and land of the tribals, further stating that the new generation would get new inspiration from his dedication. 'Bhagwan Birsa Munda fought a long battle for the honour, self-respect, water, forest and land of the tribals... He stayed in this jail for a long time. Whenever the coming generation comes here, they will get new inspiration from the dedication of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. Tribal society has a huge contribution to the preservation of our culture...' Om Birla told the media. Birla stated that activist Birsa Munda made a lot of struggle, which protected tribal communities and inspired people. 'For the honour of the tribal communities, nature and culture, he did a lot of struggle, and that inspires a lot of people... Due to his struggle, tribal communities are protected and their pride still exists in the country...' Birla told the media. MoS Sanjay Seth said that Birla would be welcomed in Ranchi according to the tribal culture.'Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is coming to Ranchi... Here, the common people are getting a chance to welcome the Lok Sabha Speaker for the first time. He will be welcomed according to our tribal culture...' Seth told the media. Seth also stated that it was a matter of pride for Jharkhand to welcome Om Birla to the state.'Indian democracy is the strongest democracy in the world, and the temple of that democracy is the Parliament. In such a situation, it is a matter of pride for us that the Speaker of the Lok Sabha has come here...' he added. The Lok Sabha speaker will be on a two-day visit to Jharkhand and will address delegates during the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand today, as per a release. (ANI)
