Narendra Modi To Be First PM To Visit Birsa Munda's Birthplace; Launch Of Mega Tribal Welfare Programme With Rs 24,000 Crore Funding On The Cards

As part of an effort to engage with tribal communities before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to launch a comprehensive development programme for 'particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTG)', with a funding of Rs 24,000 crore, during an event in Jharkhand on 15 November.

PM Modi will be on a two-day visit to Jharkhand, starting from today (14 November).

During the second day of his visit to the state, PM Modi will pay homage to tribal icon Bhagwan Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary observed as 'Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas' since 2021.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the first PM to visit Munda's birthplace Ulihatu.

Prime Minister Modi will take part in an event in Khunti, Jharkhand, commemorating the occasion, where, he will launch the 'PM PVTG Mission' and the 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra', aimed at comprehensive implementation of key government initiatives.

The launched of the 'PM PVTG Mission', announced in the 2023-24 budget, is seen as a significant move for the empowerment of tribal groups.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office highlights that these tribal groups scattered, remote and inaccessible habitats, often in forest areas. The Mission plans to ensure that PVTG families and habitations have basic facilities such as road and telecom connectivity, electricity, safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

This mission, which involves the collaborative efforts of nine different ministries, will encompass all PVTGs under various initiatives like the PM Jan Arogya Yojana, Sickle Cell Disease Elimination, TB Elimination, 100 per cent immunisation, and various other schemes.

Meanwhile, the 'Sankalp Yatra' is designed to engage with communities, raise awareness, deliver the advantages of welfare schemes, and enrolment of potential beneficiaries. This Yatra will begin from districts with substantial tribal populations and aims to extend to all districts nationwide by 25 January.

Further, Prime Minister Modi will also release the 15th instalment of PM-KISAN (about Rs 18,000 crore) to more than eight crore beneficiaries.

He will also inaugurate, dedicate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth around Rs 7,200 crore in the state across multiple sectors including rail, road, education, coal, petroleum and natural gas.