Govt to fund development of NE: Tribal Affairs Minister

Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Renuka Singh on Thursday said that the central government is willing to provide funds for the development of the North Eastern states as well as promotion of handicrafts and minor forest produce of the region.

Singh, who chaired a review meeting of the welfare schemes under the ministry of Tribal Affairs in the presence of Meghalaya District Council Affairs Minister, James Sangma, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a special focus on the development of the region.

"The government has set the overall development and uplifting the lives of the tribal population in India as priority. Several schemes and initiatives have been launched and are being implemented across the country aiming for the betterment of the tribal people," she said.

Informing that the ministry of Tribal Affairs would set up 50,000 'Van Dhan Vikas Kendras' in the tribal areas across the country to ensure livelihood support and empowerment of the tribal people, Singh urged the state government to set up such 'Van Dhan Vikas Kendras' in Meghalaya also by involving the Self Help Groups.

She said that tribal people working on handicrafts, handlooms etc. have been able to sell their products on a large scale by getting registered with the Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited and then participating in the 'Adi Mahotsavs'.

Moreover, the ministry is providing an online marketing platform to the Tribal artisans to sell their products across the world.

"There are 105 showrooms of TRIFED in the country and the government's target is to increase the number to 200 by the year 2022," she said.

She asked the state government to come up with proposals for organizing 'Adi Mahotsav' in Meghalaya in 2020 and also to set up one showroom through TRIFED for the benefit of the skilled tribal artisans of the state.

( With inputs from IANS )