Tribal society's contribution being honoured for the first time since Independence: PM Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (November 15, 2021) addressed a gathering at Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas Mahasammelan in Bhopal, after paying floral tribute to legendary freedom fighter from the tribal community Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary. 

At the event, PM Modi said it was for the first time, since Independence, that the culture of the tribal society and its contribution towards freedom struggle and nation-building was being proudly honoured and remembered.

“Today India is celebrating its 1st 'Janjatiya Gaurav Divas'. For the 1st time after independence, art, culture of tribal society & their contribution towards freedom struggle and nation-building is being proudly remembered & honoured,” said PM Modi at Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas Mahasammelan in Bhopal. 

Today India is celebrating its 1st 'Janjatiya Gaurav Divas'. For the 1st time after independence, art, culture of tribal society & their contribution towards freedom struggle&nation-building is being proudly remembered & honoured: PM at Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas Mahasammelan, Bhopal pic.twitter.com/jx7ecCItEk — ANI (@ANI) November 15, 2021

“Like Ambedkar Jayanti, Gandhi Jayanti and other similar days, the jayanti (birth anniversary) of Bhagwan Birsa Munda will be celebrated every year on November 15,” PM Modi said.

“I'd also like to remember notable historian & Padma Vibhushan Babasaheb Purandare. I came to know this morning that he passed away. His contribution in taking history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to common people is priceless,” PM Modi added.

I'd also like to remember notable historian & Padma Vibhushan Babasaheb Purandare. I came to know this morning that he passed away. His contribution in taking history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to common people is priceless: PM at Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas Mahasammelan, Bhopal pic.twitter.com/8TELBjws4L — ANI (@ANI) November 15, 2021

PM Modi also stated that the development is now taking place in 100 aspirational districts which remained backward during the earlier (Congress) regimes.

At the event, the prime minister also launched multiple initiatives for the welfare of the janjatiya community, including the ‘Ration Aapke Gram' scheme in Madhya Pradesh. The scheme is aimed at delivering the monthly quota of PDS Ration to beneficiaries from janjatiya community in their own villages every month so that they don't have to travel to the Fair Price Shop to collect their ration. 

Modi also handed over genetic counselling cards to beneficiaries, marking the launch of the Madhya Pradesh Sickle Cell (Hemoglobinopathy) Mission, which has been developed to screen and manage patients suffering from sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia and other hemoglobinopathies and to increase public awareness about these diseases, whose impact is seen to be more profound on the janjatiya community of Madhya Pradesh. 

Additionally, the prime minister laid the foundation stone of 50 Eklavya Model Residential Schools across various states and UTs including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tripura and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu. 

(With agency inputs)

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