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Indian Express
37 minutes ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Birsa Munda birth anniversary celebrations: Gujarat CM inaugurates 1,240 projects worth Rs 278 crore in 14 tribal districts
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Saturday inaugurated 1,240 development projects worth Rs 278 crore to be carried out by the state government in 14 tribal districts of Gujarat. During the event, the CM also inaugurated 1,282 works worth over Rs 200 crore under various schemes to be implemented by the Tribal Development Department in 14 tribal districts. Along with this, the individual scheme benefits worth Rs 125 crore were distributed to 6,20,846 tribal beneficiaries across the state. On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, tribal women tied rakhis to the Chief Minister. On the occasion, CM Patel paid respect to the statue of Birsa Munda. He also took lunch with a tribal family from Mandvi. 'PM Narendra Modi has started the system of celebrating November 15 as 'Tribal Pride Day' in memory of freedom fighter and tribal leader Birsa Munda from the year 2021. In 2025, his 150th birth anniversary is being celebrated across the country,' the CM said. Saluting Birsa Munda, who fought against the British rule for the independence of the country and the rights of the tribal community, CM Patel said, 'Due to the works and sacrifice of Birsa Munda, even today he is worshipped by the tribal community as 'Dharti Aaba' i.e. 'Father of the Earth' and 'God'. Birsa Munda had launched an armed rebellion called 'Ulgulan' (great movement) against the British rule for the land and forest rights of the tribals and had awakened consciousness, courage and valour among the tribals with the loud slogan of 'Abua Dishum.. Abua Raj…' i.e., 'Our country, our rule'. The struggle of Birsa Munda and the sacrifice made by him at the age of just 25 are a golden page in the history of the great revolutionaries of the tribal communities of India.' He said that projects worth Rs 24,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Adivasi Nyay Maha Abhiyan (PM-Janman Yojana) have been implemented. In the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, five crore citizens of the tribal community in 63,000 villages of the country have been covered for social infrastructure facilities. He said that by providing scholarships to 1 crore tribal youths, their path to a bright future has been strengthened. CM Patel said, 'The state government has provided scholarships worth Rs 4,300 crore to tribal students. Forest rights papers have been issued for 68,169 hectares of land in the state under the Forest Rights Act. The state government has provided scheme benefits to 4,265 villages in 102 talukas of 21 districts under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.' Minister of State for Tribal Development Kunwarjibhai Halpati said that the Prime Minister implemented the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana for the development of the tribal community during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, as a result of which the overall development of the tribals has become possible.
Indian Express
18-07-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
After 15-yr-old tribal boy dies of suspected food poisoning, Gujarat govt orders closure of residential school in Banaskantha
Following the death of a 15-year-old tribal boy in an alleged case of food poisoning at an ashramshala in Gujarat's Banaskantha, which landed 43 people — 40 students and three teachers — in the hospital, the state government has ordered that the residential school premises be closed down and the students transferred to other nearby schools. The ashramshala, comprising three schools, is situated in Vekri village of Danta taluka in Banaskantha. A team from the Tribal Development Department, under which the Ashram Shala falls, is conducting a detailed investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the incident. 'We have ordered that the recognition of the ashramshala be cancelled. In that case, students of the school will be shifted to nearby schools where arrangements are being made,' Principal Secretary of Tribal Development Department, Shahmeena Husain, told The Indian Express. Husain said the food sample reports are awaited. On July 15, principals of two of the schools were suspended for 'dereliction in duty and serious negligence', and 'disciplinary proceedings' initiated against them, following the suspected food poisoning at the Adijati Ashramshala, Vekri. The deceased teenager, Nathabhai Shankarbhai Bubadiya, was not a student of the school but had arrived on the premises on July 12 to seek admission in Class X. Late on July 13, a few hours after having their dinner, the students started feeling sick and were admitted to a Primary Health Centre. Bubadiya died on the morning of July 14, a few hours after he was discharged. A total of 500 students are enrolled in the three schools: Shri Adivasi Ashramshala (Class I to VIII), Shri Madhyamik Ashramshala (Class IX to X), and Shri Uchchatar Madhyamik Ashramshala (Class XI to XII) at Shri Adivasi Ashramshala Vekri within the same campus. The ashramshalas have a total staff strength of 20 members, including teaching and non-teaching members. At present, all students have been sent home, sources said, while at least four students are still admitted at private hospitals in Sabarkantha district. As per the norms of the Tribal Development Department, the trust is provided a monthly financial grant of Rs 2,160 per student per month for Classes I till XII. The teachers' recruitment and salary is taken care of by the state government.
NDTV
18-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Rs 33,000 For A Water Jug: Row Over Chhattisgarh's Alleged Shopping Spree
Raipur: In Chhattisgarh these days, the Gem of a portal seems to have turned into a Pandora's box. Alleged purchases of sky-high jugs, luxury-priced TVs, and even sofas instead of medicines are fueling political fireworks - and the Congress isn't letting the BJP sit comfortably. Literally. The latest in this alleged buying binge comes from Korea district, where it is alleged that five smart TVs were purchased at an eye-watering Rs 9,99,500 each. The total alleged bill: Rs 49,97,500. These weren't for a high-tech control room or luxury conference setup but, as alleged by the Congress, were bought under the Tribal Development Department by the Commissioner's Office in Ambikapur from a firm based in Baikunthpur. Before the dust could settle, another purchase was making waves: one-litre water jugs allegedly bought for Rs 32,999.5 each. According to the allegation, the Balodabazar Tribal Welfare Department ordered 160 such jugs via the Gem portal, totaling over Rs 51.99 lakh. Congress President Deepak Baij claimed the alleged jug juggernaut reflects deep-rooted corruption. But the Tribal Welfare Department, in a defensive splash, issued a statement that no such purchase was completed - it was allegedly proposed by a former officer but cancelled in February 2025 due to inflated prices. Chhattisgarh's Tribal Welfare Minister while responding to the allegations by opposition said, "Why the anxiety? First check the facts before jumping to conclusions. When no purchase has been made, what's the point of an irresponsible allegation? The Congress seems to be in panic mode." While the jug and TV tales still swirl in controversy, a new entry has joined the alleged absurdity files: Sofagate. In Sakti district, the CMHO (Chief Medical and Health Officer) allegedly placed a medicine order on Gem, only for the specification to turn out to match a sofa. Yes, instead of life-saving calcium D3 tablets, the specs described a two-seater - 60 inches long, 635 inches wide (no, that's not a typo), and 55 inches tall. Allegedly, this was part of a medical supply order. When NDTV reached out to the supplier, VJ Enterprise, the manager claimed ignorance. "We deal in medicine. I'm not aware of any sofa. The staff handles these things - we'll have to check," said Sukesh Makhija. State Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal has promised an investigation into the Sakti sofa saga: "We'll look into it, and action will be taken against whoever is found guilty." Meanwhile, the alleged corruption cloud continues to loom over CGMSC (Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation), where scams totaling more than Rs 750 crore in reagent and medical equipment purchases are under probe by the ACB and EOW. So far, six people have been arrested in connection with the case.
New Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Chhattisgarh forest department withdraws circular on CFR rights after massive tribal protests
RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh forest department on Thursday withdrew its advisory circular issued to its field officers for implementation of Community Forest Resource (CFR) rights following the massive protest in several districts by people, mostly tribals, who alleged the move as state's attempt to weaken the Forest Rights Act and undermine the constitutional power of Gram Sabhas. Activists working on forest and tribal rights highlighted that a letter issued by the Chhattisgarh Forest Department on May 15 seeking to designate the department as the nodal agency for implementing the FRA—an act that is not only legally untenable but also a direct encroachment on the jurisdiction of the Tribal Development Department. 'The forest department has invoked the National Working Plan Code 2023 under the guise of 'scientific forest management' to threaten the implementation of Community Forest Resource (CFR) rights, supported by Gram Sabhas and other state institutions. This move jeopardises community control and management over nearly 20,000 sq km of forests in the state', they claimed. The forest department affirmed that its directive was advisory in nature as the field implementation of CFR rights was becoming inconsistent due to the lack of clarity on how to develop and integrate CFR management plans with the National Working Plan Code 2023. Spontaneous and big rallies were taken place as the collective voice across tribal regions during the last couple of days, with memorandums addressed to chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai were submitted, seeking his intervention to refrain the forest department from obstructing the rights of forest-dependent communities and instead support the remaining 8,000 forest-reliant villages in securing their rightful CFR claims.
Indian Express
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Over 58k tribal students get hike in allowances
Over 58,000 tribal students living in government hostels will benefit from the Maharashtra cabinet's decision to increase various allowances like food, educational and subsistence given to them by 40 per cent to 100 per cent. The move will put an additional burden of Rs 83.66 crore on the state treasury. The Tribal Development Department runs around 490 hostels across the state with around 58,700 students. Out of these, 284 are boys and 206 are girls' hostels. The government provides various allowances to encourage these students to complete higher education at the tehsil, district and divisional levels. The state cabinet on Tuesday decided to revise the allowances considering the inflation index. The monthly subsistence allowance to students living in hostels at the tehsil-rural level has been increased from Rs 500 to Rs 1000, at the district level, from Rs 600 to Rs 1,300 and at divisional level, students will get Rs 1,400 instead of the existing Rs 800. The additional subsistence allowance for girls has also been increased from Rs 100 to Rs 150. The annual educational material purchase allowance has been increased from Rs 3,200 to Rs 4,500 for students from Class 8 to Class 10. For junior college and diploma courses, it will be increased to Rs 5,000 from Rs 4,000. For tribal students in degree courses, it has been increased from Rs 4,500 to Rs 5,700. For medical and engineering courses, it has been increased from Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000. The food allowance per month has been increased from Rs 3,500 to Rs 5,000 for hostels in municipal corporations and divisional cities. For district level hostels, it has been increased from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,500. Until now, the government was spending Rs 144.74 crore per annum over these allowances, and with this hike in allowances rates, the government will need to spend Rs 228.41 crore.
