Deputy CM Ajit Pawar Directs Immediate Release of Pending Tribal Development Funds

Mumbai : Deputy Chief Minister and Finance & Planning Minister Ajit Pawar has directed the immediate disbursement of pending liability funds for completed projects under the Tribal Development Department. He also instructed that a formal proposal for the same be submitted by the Tribal Development Department to the Finance Department without delay.

The directive came during a review meeting chaired by Deputy CM Pawar in the committee chamber at the Mantralaya, focused on various pending issues related to the Tribal Development Department.

Present at the meeting were Tribal Development Minister Dr. Ashok Uike, Food and Drug Administration Minister Narhari Zirwal, Minister of State for Tribal Development Indranil Naik, MLAs Bhimrao Keram, Nitin Pawar, Aamshya Padvi, Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department O.P. Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary of the Planning Department Dr. Rajgopal Deora, Secretary to the Deputy CM Dr. Rajesh Deshmukh, Secretary of the Tribal Development Department Vijay Waghmare, and senior officials from related departments.

During the meeting, Deputy CM Pawar emphasized that budgetary allocations must be distributed proportionately to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as per established norms. He stressed that hostel infrastructure under the Tribal Development Department must meet quality standards and provide proper amenities. He also urged efforts to improve the academic performance of tribal students.

Key issues discussed included:

• Roads and bridges that are either completed or under progress,
• Projects under budget head 3054,
• Implementation of the Thakkar Bappa Scheme,
• Construction of government buildings for tribal departments,
• Special recruitment drives for surplus posts, and
• Employment concerns of contractual and hourly-based staff in tribal residential schools across the state.

Deputy CM Pawar reiterated the importance of timely and quality execution of tribal welfare projects and resolved to expedite necessary administrative processes to support them.