Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram on Thursday led a high-level interaction with Tribal Members of Parliament and Ministers, underscoring a collective push to fast-track the holistic development of tribal communities across the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing the gathering, Oram said the interaction reflected a unified commitment of elected tribal leadership towards inclusion, empowerment and dignity of tribal citizens, in line with the national vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas. He emphasised that Tribal MPs play a crucial role not only in policy advocacy but also in ensuring effective implementation and last-mile delivery of welfare schemes on the ground.
The Minister highlighted key flagship initiatives such as PM-JANMAN, the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, Eklavya Model Residential Schools and strengthened implementation of the Forest Rights Act, stating that these programmes are driving saturation-based development in tribal and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)-dominated areas.
According to the Ministry, significant gains have been recorded in housing, drinking water, electrification, healthcare outreach, education, livelihood generation and cultural preservation in tribal regions. Special focus is being placed on improving the quality of residential education for tribal children, eliminating Sickle Cell Disease, expanding livelihood opportunities through Van Dhan initiatives and empowering communities through recognition of forest rights.
The interaction reaffirmed the shared resolve of Tribal MPs and the Union Government to ensure inclusive growth, social justice and sustainable development for tribal communities nationwide. Officials said the meeting reflected a rare convergence of policy direction, political will and grassroots insight, with MPs actively contributing to strengthening convergence among schemes, guiding implementation and ensuring accountability.
The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey and several Tribal MPs from across the country, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, including Secretary Ranjana Chopra, Joint Secretary Anant Prakash Pandey, Additional Secretary Manish Thakur and Commissioner of NESTS Ajit Kumar Srivastav.
