TRIBALS – 2007 - Indian Social Institute

Big package for Gujarat tribals announced (6)GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announceda Rs.15,000-crore package for the all-round development of tribals in the State.Making a statement in the Assembly here, Mr. Modi said the "Vanbandhu KalyanYojana" would be implemented in the next five years along with the 11th five-yearplan to improve the financial, educational and social standards of the ScheduledTribes. He claimed that while the State spent about Rs.6,500 croreunder thevarious tribal sub-plans in 27 years since 1974, in the last five years theallocations under the tribal sub-plan was raised to Rs.6,000 crore. But even thiswas not sufficient for the all-round development of the neglected tribals whoconstitute about 15 per cent of the population spread over 43 talukas in theState. He said in a bid to reflect the aspirations of the tribals, his governmentdecided to formulate a separate scheme for their development. Claiming that theyojana would become a "trend-setter" in the country, Mr. Modi also announced a10-point programme for the implementation of the scheme. Among theprogrammes announced were opening job-oriented schemes in the tribal areasto help double their income, offering educational facilities in all tribal areas fortheir children, laying pipeline to connect all tribal villages for drinking watersupply, providing necessary assistance to encourage tribal farmers to shift to dripirrigation, providing houses for all homeless tribals, electrification of the houses ofpoor tribals at the government's cost and all-weather road links to all tribalvillages. (The Hindu 28/2/07)Tribals enjoy the fruits of a life insured (6)BERHAMPUR : Tribals, especially their women folk in remote areas of Gajapatidistrict have started to experience benefits of group insurance schemes. BalajiSabar of Badamasingi village of Kainpur panchayat under Rayagada block hadnever expected his wife would help him financially even after her death. Balajihas received Rs.20,000 as death claim following the death of his wife, who hadgot enrolled in the Janashree Bima Yojana of the Life Insurance Corporation. It isagain the women Self Help Groups (SHG) in tribal villages that have taken thelead. In Rayagada block 968 members of 80 women SHGs have enrolled theirnames in the `Janashree Bima Yojana' scheme paying yearly premium of Rs.100for each member since 2004. As members of this group insurance scheme thesewomen are also getting extra benefit of the `Sikshya Sahyog Yojana' that is partand parcel of their group insurance scheme. Under this scheme children of policyholders reading from class ninth to +2 get a scholarship of RS.100 per month.Rambhi Guru of Gandahati village, whose son is reading in class X is benefitingfrom it feels it is a great help for her son to pursue studies. "I was overwhelmedwhen I came to know Rs.100 rupees invested by me would beget Rs.1,200 peryear for my son's education," she said. D. Jagannath Raju, president of an NGO,Society for Welfare of Weaker Section (SWWS), which had motivated the womenSHGs to opt for group insurance schemes said women especially in tribal areasare the real homemakers. Once they start understanding the benefits of ascheme it easily percolates through to the general public. (The Hindu 28/2/07)