Government Committed to the Welfare of Tribal Communities: CM Dhami

Dehradun, Sept 2025 – Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reiterated his government’s commitment to the welfare of tribal communities on Saturday while distributing appointment letters to 15 newly selected assistant teachers in government-run Ashram schools under the Tribal Welfare Department. The program was held at the Chief Sevak Sadan, Chief Minister’s residence.

On this occasion, CM Dhami also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various departmental construction projects worth over ₹150 crore. Expressing confidence, he said these projects would not only strengthen the basic infrastructure of tribal communities but also provide citizens with better facilities.

Congratulating the selected teachers, Dhami said young educators would play a vital role in shaping the holistic development of the next generation. He further stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, historic steps are being taken for the upliftment of tribal society, including the decision to celebrate the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda as Tribal Pride Day.

The Chief Minister said that earlier governments only made claims about tribal development, but today, concrete work is being carried out at the grassroots level. The Central Government has increased the budget for tribal welfare nearly threefold compared to the past. Along with this, schemes like Eklavya Model Schools, PM Tribal Upliftment Village Campaign, Van Dhan Yojana, and PM Tribal Development Mission are being implemented.

Under the PM Tribal Upliftment Village Campaign, 128 tribal villages of Uttarakhand have been identified. Currently, four Eklavya Model Residential Schools are operating in Kalsi, Mehravana, Bazpur, and Khatima, where tribal students are provided free education and hostel facilities. Dhami also mentioned that a proposal has been sent to the Centre to open another Eklavya School in Pithoragarh for the educational upliftment of the Bhotia and Raji tribes.

The Chief Minister highlighted that the state government too is undertaking multiple welfare measures for tribal communities. Scholarships are being provided from primary to postgraduate levels, and 16 Ashram-style schools are functioning in Uttarakhand. Additionally, three ITI institutes are being run to provide technical training to educated unemployed tribal youth. Free coaching and scholarships are also being arranged to help tribal students prepare for competitive examinations.

Dhami said the state government, inspired by the legacy of Birsa Munda, is committed to preserving Uttarakhand’s cultural values and demography. For this, a strict anti-conversion law has been enforced. He informed that over 9,000 acres of government land have been freed from encroachment. Uttarakhand has also become the first state in the country to implement the Uniform Civil Code, while exempting all Scheduled Tribes from it to preserve their customs and traditions.

During the program, the Chief Minister also announced beautification works at the Tribal Research Institute, construction of hi-tech toilet blocks for girls, and a dining hall at Adi Lakshya Sansthan.

The event was attended by Cabinet Minister Ganesh Joshi, MLAs Khajan Das, Umesh Sharma Kau, Savita Kapoor, Dalip Singh Rawat, Pramod Nainwal, Chairperson of the Tribal Commission Leelavati Rana, Social Welfare Secretary Sridhar Babu Addanki, Tribal Welfare Director Sanjay Tolia, Social Welfare Director Chandra Singh Dharmashaktu, and other departmental officials.