Modi says welfare of Adivasis is centre’s goal

 Visakhapatnam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined that welfare of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) is the central government's primary goal.

He interacted with the tribals in a virtual face-to-face meeting organised at new Bhalluguda in Araku Valley.

Speaking on the occasion, the PM made it clear that real development is possible only when welfare schemes of the government reach the remote PVTGs. In this regard, he said Ekalavya model residential schools are being constructed to provide quality education to tribal students.

The Prime Minister also met tribal women of PVTGs in a virtual meeting arranged at the Alluri Sitarama Raju district in Andhra Pradesh as part of Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan.

Narendra Modi asked a tribal woman. “What is your livelihood?” She replied saying she has 35 cents of land under the central and state government’s Recognition of Forest Rights (ROFR) scheme. “We are cultivating coffee, pepper and pulses on our land. I also receive Rs 13,500 from PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and Rythu Bharosa schemes,” the PVTG woman stated.

The PM inquired about Araku coffee achieving international recognition. Tribal women informed him that they are happy about their coffee getting international recognition. “In the past, we used to sell coffee beans to brokers, losing money in the process. Now, we are making profits by grading our coffee and marketing it online,” they stated.

ITDA project officer V. Abhishek told media that the Prime Minister of India had on the occasion launched the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN). PVTGs of five states participated in the virtual meeting, he added.