SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, January 14: It will be a proud moment for Asurs at Bishunpur in the Gumla district when Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually interacts with them on Monday.
The interaction is part of Modi’s programme to release 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).
Primitive tribes from 100 districts will connect with the prime minister online, including four districts in Jharkhand-Gumla, Godda, Sahibganj, and Khunti.
Arjun Munda at Bishunpur
Around 600 PVTGs, mostly Asurs, will be present at the Bishunpur block campus, where Union Agriculture and Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda will remain present.
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.
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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.
PM-JANMAN achievements
In 45 days since the Union Cabinet okayed the PVTGs plan on November 29, the Centre has approved one lakh pucca houses for PVTGs and over 1200 kilometres of connectivity routes.
It has ensured tap water supply to 26,908 PVTG settlements and 100 mobile medical centres.
100 hostels have been identified and approved. The Central government has approved the construction of 405 Van-Dhan Development Centres and 450 Multipurpose Centres.
It has ensured power supply to 7353 houses in 17 settlements and approved 206 mobile towers to improve telecommunication in 503 habitations out of 6586 habitations. 300 new Anganwadi centres have been opened in PVTG areas.
Besides, 1,20,006 Aadhaar cards and 1,35,133 Ayushman Bharat cards have been distributed among PVTGs. Other achievements included 13,651 Kisan Credit Cards (KCC), 11,876 Forest Rights Act leases, 84,672 caste certificates, and 43,130 ration cards.
