Mehbooba dismayed over low spending on Tribal affairs

CM reviews functioning of Tribal Affairs Department

Asks the Deptt to come up with substantive action plan within 3 months

SRINAGAR, JUNE 30: Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today expressed dismay over the low spending reported on Tribal welfare measures by the concerned Department in the State.

Chairing a meeting to review the performance of the Tribal Affairs Department here, the Chief Minister directed abandoning the lackadaisical approach to execute Government schemes and bring in proactive approach to take Government’s welfare plans to people. She asked the concerned Department to come up with a substantive action plan within three months to be executed on ground.

Mehbooba Mufti asked the Department to set a timeline of action for completing various projects for Tribal community. She said the projects be made target specific with a definite plan of action for a given period of time. She said the Government has carved out this Department with the hope of changing the lot of tribal community and a definite plan of action backed by substantive action alone can get the community benefits of this.

The Chief Minister asked for multi sectoral monitoring of various welfare schemes launched for the welfare of Tribal community in the State. She directed Vice Chairman, Gujjar Bakerwal Advisory Board to visit the cluster villages set up by the Department in the Tribal areas of the State and check the quality of works undertaken. She also directed inclusion of Tribal youth by the ITIs for imparting various vocational courses so that they can become self-sufficient in their future life.

The Chief Minister stressed on proper maintenance of assets raised for the students of Tribal, Gujjar and Bakerwal communities. She directed sorting out of land issues with the respective Deputy Commissioners where the land has not been identified for setting up Gujjar/Bakerwal hostels. She also directed that land be made available early for setting up a Tribal Research Institute at Srinagar.

The meeting was informed that two residential schools of 450 students each would be set up at Anantnag and Kulgam at a cost of Rs. 24 crores. It was also informed that pre matric scholarships worth Rs. 28 crore were disbursed among 15752 Tribal students whiles as 6131 Tribal and 51226 Gujjar students benefitted from Post Matric scholarships.

The meeting was further informed that Gujjar/Bakerwal hostels are under construction and at various stages of completion at Bandipore, Baramulla, Kupwara, Poonch and Udhampur while as land is being identified at Srinagar to set up a hostel there.  

Vice Chairman, Gujjar Bakerwal Advisory Board, Choudhary Zaffar Ali; Commissioner-Secretary, Forests, Muhammad Afzal Bhat; Secretary, Tribal Affairs, Kifayat Hussain Rizvi;  Secretary, School Education, Farooq Ahmad Shah; Secretary, Tourism, M. H. Malik; Secretary, Social Welfare, Sajad Ahmad Khan, directors of various Departments  and other officers were present in the meeting.