World Tribal Day: Tribal community joins the mainstream in Chhattisgarh

International World Tribal Day is celebrated every year on 9th August for the protection and promotion of tribal communities. It was first declared by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1994. This day is a day to make the tribals aware of their rights and to pledge for all-round efforts to raise their standard of living by bringing them into the mainstream.

Forests and tribals residing in Chhattisgarh for centuries have been the special identity of the state. Almost half of the state’s land is covered with forests, where the glorious primitive culture has been flourishing through fairs and festivals. Their art, culture, folk tradition, customs, lifestyle and costumes have given them a new identity in the country and the world. The rich cultural heritage of the tribes is expressed through their daily life, festivals, religious customs and traditions. The Ghotul tradition of the tribes of Bastar is famous. The main dances of the tribes including Gaur, Karma, Kaksar, Shaila dance of Jashpur and Surguja and Sarhul and Parb of the state are popular among the people.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai himself belongs to the tribal community. Under his leadership, the state government is making special efforts to preserve and promote the primitive culture of the state. With the objective of bringing the tribal community into the mainstream of society and to provide benefits of schemes to the last person, an innovative scheme like “Aapka Aadarsh ​​Gram” scheme, which means Niyyad Nellnar, is being implemented in 5 districts of Bastar division, Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Narayanpur and Kanker. This scheme is being implemented in a radius of five kilometers around the security camps established in these districts. The villagers are being provided the benefits of 52 schemes run by the state and central government. All basic facilities are being provided to the villagers.

The ambitious Pradhan Mantri Janman Yojana launched by the Central Government to benefit the tribal communities with all kinds of basic facilities and various schemes is being implemented well in the tribal forest areas. Under the Pradhan Mantri Janman Yojana, 11 important activities are being implemented through 9 central ministries. Under the scheme, Aadhar card, ration card, Jan Dhan account, Ayushman card, caste certificate, residence certificate and other basic facilities of the beneficiaries are being ensured by organizing camps around the Special Backward Tribal Groups (PVTG) settlements of the state. Forest rights certificates are also being given to all the beneficiaries. Under the Pradhan Mantri Janman Yojana, provision of pucca houses, pucca roads, tap water, community based drinking water, construction of hostels, mobile medical units, nutrition-diet through Anganwadi centres, construction of multipurpose centres, electrification of houses (through grid and solar power), establishment of Van Dhan centres, availability of internet and mobile service and skill development work for livelihood promotion are being done.

Under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a tree plantation campaign is being run on a large scale in the state. To involve the tribal community in this campaign, the state government has started an initiative to protect forests in the memory of Gundadhur ji, the pioneer of tribal society. People of the tribal society are contributing to this on their own initiative.