Bhubaneswar: SC and ST communities, who make up over 40% of Odisha’s population, are at the heart of the state’s growth and development, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi said on Friday.
Addressing the National Conference of Chairpersons of the Committees on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the CM, who belongs to a tribal community himself, reaffirmed his government’s two-fold strategy of robust welfare measures and empowerment through education, skills, and economic inclusion. He highlighted plans for a tribal culture and heritage building and a tribal language institute, which will come up in Bhubaneswar, and steps being taken to provide education in tribal languages.
The CM also pointed to initiatives like new Eklavya Model Schools, scholarships, livelihood support, and enhanced budget allocations as part of Odisha’s commitment to transforming their lives.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, efforts have been accelerated to fully integrate these communities into the mainstream and enable them to contribute significantly to building a developed India. Schemes like Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan and Dharti Aaba Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan have played a crucial role in achieving these goals,” he stressed.
Majhi expressed confidence that the conference, which is being held outside Delhi for the first time in 25 years, will pave the way for a prosperous future for the communities. “New policies and programmes formulated based on the suggestions from this conference will enable SC and ST communities to join the mainstream and contribute significantly to building a prosperous Odisha and a developed India,” he said.
The CM thanked Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who inaugurated the two-day seminar, for choosing Odisha as the host state. “It is a matter of pride to hold this historic event in the holy land of Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath,” he added.