Panaji: October 28, 2014 …. Minister for Sports & Tribal Welfare, Shri Ramesh Tawadkar exhorted the Panchayats/ZillaPanchayats& Municipal Bodies to draw a master plan to carry out socio-economic development of the tribal people and the tribal areas by utilizing the various schemes and funds meant for their upliftment under Tribal Sub Plan.
Shri Tawadkar was speaking at the launching of the ‘Adivasi Vikas Yojana’, which was attended by large ST community members at a function at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao today.
The scheme provides financial support of uptoRs. 1.25 crores for new projects and Rs. 60.00 lakhs for upgradation/renovation of existing projects to Village Panchayats/Zilla Panchayats and Municipalities with substantial tribal population to create new infrastructure as also carry out one time maintenance for the benefit of the village communities.
Shri Tawadkar asserted that the time is not far when the whole ST populace will match the best of the talent in the country wiping away the need for reservations to these communities any more.
Speaking further, Shri Tawadkar outlined the need to take up a small village with a large ST population as a Model Village and provide the inhabits with latest entrepreneurship skills in dairy farming, horticulture, farming, etc. apart from various providing infrastructure projects to lift up their standard of living. If we provide this technological know-how to these people, then they will have no aim to come to the urban areas, he remarked.
Highlighting the various schemes meant for the upliftments of the tribal people, the Tribal Welfare Minister called upon the local self-government body representatives to work out a scheme that can have the big impact by reaching it to the desired target so that it can go along way to serve and bring about change in the standard of living of this community.
Secretary, Tribal Welfare, Shri Talem Tapok, IAS stating that India with such a large population has only 8.6 % population as Schedule Tribe, underscored the need to popularize the various schemes so as to reach the maximum and the deserving people. He appealed to the grass root workers to take it to the local populace to have the desired result of such schemes.
The Adivasi Vikas Yojana scheme envisages that any Village Panchayat/Zilla Panchayat and Municipality having 40 % of tribal population as per list notified by the Department of Tribal Welfare is eligible to avail of the benefit under the scheme. The Government may also reduce the requirements of tribal population to 30 % on the recommendation of the sanctioning committee in case of urgency and realizing importance of any project.
Financial assistance is also provided under the scheme for the purpose of land acquisition upto an amount of Rs. 60.00 lakhs per project for taking up of new infrastructure projects.
The projects will be executed by GSIDC/PWD/WRD/Electricity or any other government departments/corporations as decided by the Department of Tribal Welfare.
Sanction letter under Atal Ashara Scheme were handed over to the beneficiaries and the meritorious ST students of STD X & XII were also felicitated at the hands of the dignitaries.
Shri Ganesh Goankar, MLA & Chairman, Goa State Schedule Tribe Finance & Development Corporation Ltd.; Smt. Nelly Rodrigues, Chairperson, ZP(South); Shri Anant Shirvoikar, Chairperson, Commission for SC & ST also spoke on the occasion.
Smt. Cynthia D’silva and Shri Kushali Velip, ZP Members, BDO’s; Mamlatdars were among those present on the occasion.
Smt. Sandhya Kamat, Director, Department of Tribal Welfare welcomed the gathering.
