The Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Smt. Renuka Singh attended a review meeting of the Government sponsored schemes under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs with senior officials of the Central & State Government today in Guwahati.

Addressing the senior officials present in the meeting, Smt. Singh said, “The main aim of the Government schemes is to uplift the lives of the poor and deprived.” The Minister emphasized on the fact that the Van Dhan Karyakaram under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs would establish 50,000 ‘Van Dhan Vikas Kendras’ in the tribal areas across the country to ensure livelihood generation and empowerment of the tribal people. The Scheme will cover 27 states and 307 tribal districts across India.

The Minister further pointed out that 16 Van Dhan Vikash Kendras (VDVK) in 5 Districts in Assam i.e Baksa, Goalpara, West Karbi Anglong, East Karbi Anglong & Kamrup have been sanctioned so far at Rs. 15 lakh per VDVK. She added that the target for Assam is 116 VDVKs and the process of setting up remaining 100 VDVKs is going on.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Bibhash Modi, Director, Directorate of Welfare of Plain Tribe & Backward Class, said, “We have identified 120 Haat baazars against 160 and 55 Storage Godowns against 60 under the scheme Minimum Support Price for Minor Forest Produce in Assam. The construction of 30 Haat bazaars and 5 storage godowns has started. These Haat bazaars and storage godowns shall also act as infrastructural support for the VDVKs under PMVDY.”

The Minister also reviewed the status of scholarship schemes for ST students, status report on schemes under Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Schemes (SCA to TSS) among others in the meeting.

Shri Ajit Narayan Hazarika, Joint Secretary, Smt. Anuja Bhuyan, Deputy Secretary, Shri Udayan Hazarika, Director, AIRT&SC and other senior officials were present in the meeting.

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