Since 2014, the budget for tribal welfare has been increased five times. Tribal children are now taught in their mother tongues, science is taught in the curriculum, and the cultures and skills of the tribes are promoted. The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, stated on Thursday that these are some of the actions his government has taken.
The prime minister remarked in his opening remarks at the Aadi Mahotsav: “Our tribal children and youngsters have made progress after learning in their mother tongue. Due to isolation and neglect, the youth were forced into separatists but have since reconnected with society via the internet and other technologies. Every individual in remote corners of the nation receives this stream of “sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas, and sabka prayas.” This is the sound of confluence of ‘aadi and aadhunikta’, on which the soaring edifice of new India would stand.”
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Indicating the initiatives included in the new education strategy, Modi declared, “Education and the future of tribal children, situated in any corner of the country, is my priority.” One accomplishment was the rise in Eklavya Model residential schools from 80 to 500 between 2014 and 22. A total of 400 or more schools have already begun operating, benefiting around one lakh students. In addition to the budget’s announcement of the hiring of 38,000 teachers and staff for schools, it also announced a doubling of tribal student scholarship funding.
According to Modi, actions to further tribal glory included promoting their culture, craft, cuisine, commerce, and art. According to him, the tribal way of life also includes environmental preservation teachings. The PM has been giving tribally crafted goods to a number of international dignitaries. He further said, “India conveys solutions to problems like global warming and climate change in the tribal way of life. The tribal communities have a lot to inspire and teach sustainable development.”
More than 3,000 Van Dhan Kendras have been built by the government as part of the Van Dhan Mission, and 90 minor forest products, or seven times as much as in 2014, have been included in the MSP.
