THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, January 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today assured the primitive tribes, including Asurs, that a pucca house would be provided before Diwali.
Speaking online to Shashikiran Brijiya of the endangered primitive tribe of Tutwapani village of Bishunpur block of Gumla district through video conferencing, he said they will celebrate Diwali in a pucca house this year.
Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda
Union Agriculture cum Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda was also present on the Bishunpur block campus, where around 600 primitive tribes assembled to talk directly to Modi.
Releasing online the first instalment to one lakh beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY – G) under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), the Prime Minister talked to tribal people from across the country to get information about the condition of the primitive tribes and the schemes of the Central Government to reach the plateau areas.
Primitive tribes from over 100 districts connected with the prime minister online, including four districts in Jharkhand-Gumla, Godda, Sahibganj, and Khunti.
Traditional iron smelters
Asurs— a primitive tribe of Jharkhand— were the ones who first made iron in the world, but they are now threatened with extinction. They are traditional iron smelters who live mainly in Jharkhand’s Gumla, Lohardaga, Palamu, and Latehar districts.
Jharkhand takes pride in its 32 tribes, including 8 Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs). They are Asur, Birhor, Birajia, Korwa, Savar, Pahariya (Baiga), Mal Pahariya and Souriya Pahariya.
PM-JANMAN launched from Khunti
Notably, Modi launched the PM-JANMAN for the socio-economic welfare of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) on November 15 on the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas from Khunti, the birthplace of Birsa Munda.
PM-JANMAN, with a budget of approximately Rs 24,000 crore, focuses on 11 critical interventions through 9 Ministries and is aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions of the PVTGs by saturating PVTG households and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, electricity, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
