Tribal development is at the core of the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, and the government should ensure that schemes catering to the community reach their doorsteps, President Droupadi Murmu said on Wednesday.
Addressing the National Conclave on Strengthening of Integrated Tribal Development Agencies here, she said that when all those working at the state and project levels come together to deliberate with a shared, overarching objective, numerous constructive solutions are bound to emerge.
“This conclave is the conclave of tribal change agents. Tribals are culturally rich and talented to the core. What they lack are opportunities and the confidence to come into the mainstream. There are many educated tribals, but circumstances prevent them from moving ahead. This is where authorities should step in by giving them a platform to blossom,” the President said.
She also raised the issue of landless tribals. “There are many people from the community who believe the land they live on belongs to the Almighty, and there is no need to run behind registrations. Many own land but do not have the legal records. Many a time, tribal land is taken away by state-owned agencies,” she added.
Murmu said she is hopeful that a national roadmap will emerge from the conclave to strengthen development agendas for tribal communities.
She also batted for the financial empowerment of the community, which, she said, is a stepping stone towards development.
“We should also think of starting major sports programmes catering to tribal youth. I am sure many sporting gems can be nurtured from this space. A case in point is the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Bhubaneswar, which is a globally recognised and fully residential tribal institute. It supports grassroots tribal talent by providing free education, world-class sports facilities, coaching and nutrition to tens of thousands of tribal students,” she added.
Murmu also called for greater awareness and screening of sickle cell anaemia among the tribal population.
Sickle cell anaemia disproportionately affects indigenous tribal populations worldwide, particularly in India, where about one in 86 Scheduled Tribe (ST) births is affected by the disease. Historically, the sickle cell trait evolved as a protective genetic mechanism against malaria in tropical endemic regions, but it is now passed down as a hereditary disease.
The President said she was happy to note that, alongside modern development efforts, special attention is being paid to the culture and knowledge traditions of tribal communities.
She urged all stakeholders to contribute wholeheartedly towards the education and skill development of children and youth belonging to tribal communities.
