G0vt committed to uplift tribal communities: Rana

Srinagar, July 14: Tribal Affairs Minister, Javed Ahmed Rana on Monday said that the upliftment of downtrodden and backward communities is the government’s collective responsibility.With an aim to further empower Jammu and Kashmir’s tribal communities, Rana chaired a high-level meeting of the Tribal Affairs Department (TAD) at the Civil Secretariat here today. He said, “The Omar Abdullah-led Government has taken a slew of measures to ensure inclusive growth and social justice for all, especially the tribal population.”According to a statement issued here, the meeting aimed to fast-track tribal welfare initiatives and review ongoing projects, schemes, and infrastructure development for tribal communities across J&K.During the meeting, Rana emphasised Omar Abdullah led Government’s commitment to inclusive growth and social justice, particularly for the tribal population. The meeting focused on resolving land-related issues concerning hostels for Gujjar-Bakerwal tribe, which are crucial for providing educational and residential support to students from these marginalised groups. He directed secretaries of concerned departments to establish effective and proactive coordination mechanisms to push faster execution of key infra projects in tribal areas.The Minister urged concerned officials to expedite the resolution of land matters and ensure timely completion of tribal welfare projects.Regarding establishment of hostels, the Minister was assured that land has been identified for the establishment of hostels in Srinagar, Jammu, and Poonch district, and all issues will be sorted within 10 days. He emphasised that all Gujjar-Bakerwal hostels should have proper buildings with requisite facilities to provide students with a nurturing environment.The Minister also reviewed the progress of Tribal Bhawan Jammu and instructed the concerned authorities to immediately identify suitable land for its establishment, as the funds have already been transferred to JDA.Secretary Health informed that six MMUs are ready to be deployed, and work on other units is in progress.During the meeting, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo emphasised the importance of taking forward programs and policies related to tribal welfare, ensuring their effective implementation.