Nanakmatta (Uttarakhand) [India], November 15 : Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami lit the ceremonial lamp to inaugurate the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas celebrations held in Nanakmatta on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda.
On this occasion, he also laid the foundation stone of Maharana Pratap Government College, Nanakmatta, to be built at a cost of Rs 9.68 crore, and inaugurated the building constructed by the Nagar Nikay Nanakmatta at a cost of Rs one crore, according to a release.
During the programme, the Chief Minister made seven announcements. These include the construction of a bridge over the Kailash River in Sadhu Nagar; release of funds for the Rai Sikh Bhawan; development of the Nanakmatta Dam as a tourist destination; allocation of funds for the Sanatan Dharma Utthan Samiti building and temple construction; blacktopping of the road connecting Gyanpur to Barkidandi-Audli to Dohri-Aestha B to Devipura-Gidhaur Parseni-Belpadav; providing funds for an additional room for the Parvatiya Utthan Samiti; and naming the newly constructed bus stand in Khatima after Maharana Pratap.
Paying tribute to Bhagwan Birsa Munda on his 150th birth anniversary, Dhami extended greetings to everyone on Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.
He said that this historic day is dedicated to remembering the glorious traditions, struggles, sacrifices, and extraordinary contributions of the tribal community towards nation-building. He added that Bhagwan Birsa Munda is an immortal symbol of pride, courage, and self-respect for the tribal society. Despite his short life, he awakened a spirit of freedom, rights, and dignity that united the entire tribal community and gave it a new direction.
The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the historic decision to celebrate Birsa Munda's birth anniversary as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.
He noted that museums dedicated to tribal freedom fighters have been built across the country at a cost of nearly Rs 200 crore, honouring tribal heritage and contributions. He said that the nation is proud that Droupadi Murmu, daughter of the Santhal tribal community, is today the First Citizen of India.
Prime Minister Modi has also tripled the budget for tribal welfare, significantly strengthening the community.
The Prime Minister has, for the first time, connected the tribal society to mainstream development through initiatives such as Eklavya Model Schools, the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Unnat Gram Abhiyan, the Van Dhan Yojana, the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Vikas Mission, and various livestock and agriculture-related schemes, the release said.
The Chief Minister stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government is also continuously working for the welfare and upliftment of the tribal community. Under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Unnat Gram Abhiyan, 128 tribal villages in Uttarakhand have been selected.
These villages will receive improved basic facilities, economic empowerment, better education systems, and enhanced healthcare. Currently, four residential Eklavya schools are operational in Kalsi, Mehravana, Bajpur, and Khatima, providing tribal students with free education and hostel facilities.
New residential schools in Chakrata (Dehradun) and Bajpur (Udham Singh Nagar) are being built at a rapid pace. To promote education among tribal children, scholarships are being provided from the primary level up to postgraduate studies.
The Chief Minister added that the state government is currently operating 16 government Ashram-pattern schools for educational upliftment and development.
Additionally, three ITIs are operating in the state to provide technical education to educated unemployed youth from the tribal community. Free coaching and scholarships are being provided for competitive examinations. Financial assistance of Rs 50,000 is being given for the marriage of tribal daughters.
A corpus fund of Rs one crore has been created for the Tribal Research Institute. To preserve tribal culture, the state organises an annual Tribal Festival and Sports Festival.