Gandhinagar: Gujarat govt on Sunday announced development projects worth Rs 2,284 crore across 14 tribal districts on the occasion of the 151st birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda, observed as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.Chief minister Bhupendra Patel, who attended the state-level celebrations in Chhota Udepur, virtually inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects related to roads, water supply, irrigation, education, healthcare, animal husbandry and forest development. The programme also included the distribution of beneficiary assistance and the launch of Prakruti Krushi Aadharit Vadi Sahay Yojana in tribal districts.Patel said Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana, launched in 2007, had become a key initiative for the holistic development of tribal communities. He added that development works worth Rs 2 lakh crore were planned for tribal regions over the next five years.Highlighting the transformation in tribal areas, the chief minister said the demand had moved beyond all-weather roads to villages, with emphasis now on improving connectivity through high-speed corridors. He said the tribal belt currently has 12 science colleges, two universities, 12 medical colleges and 57 Eklavya Model Residential Schools. More than 22,500 smart classrooms have been set up, while over 18,800 forest rights certificates have been distributed.Patel announced plans to develop Chhota Udepur as a sports and food processing hub to generate employment opportunities for local youth. Shabari Booths and Johar Cafes were launched to promote livelihoods for tribal women and local artisans.Tribal development minister Naresh Patel said Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas was being celebrated at 86 locations across the state. He said govt remained committed to the development of over 1.1 crore tribal residents living across the tribal belt stretching from Umargam to Ambaji.
