• PM Modi inaugurates and launches 246 projects worth around ₹3,000 crore.
• Programme marks the 151st birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda.
• PM highlights tribal welfare schemes and poverty reduction efforts.
• Modi says improved security is opening opportunities in former Naxal-affected areas.

GG News Bureau
Gadchiroli, 15th Nov: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 246 development projects worth around ₹3,000 crore on Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, marking the 151st birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda.

Addressing the programme in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, through video conferencing, PM Modi said the occasion celebrates the heritage, culture and contributions of India’s tribal communities. He noted that the observance, launched on November 15, 2021, has grown into a national celebration, with more than two lakh events held during Birsa Munda’s 150th birth anniversary last year.

The Prime Minister paid tribute to tribal freedom fighters, including Tirot Sing, Sido-Kanhu, Govind Guru, Rani Gaidinliu, Tantya Bhil, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Rani Durgavati. He described Birsa Munda’s Ulgulan movement and his resistance against British rule as an enduring source of inspiration.

The projects announced on the occasion include more than 170 inaugurations and over 70 foundation stone ceremonies across several states. These cover education, healthcare, tribal product marketing, rural infrastructure and research facilities. The initiatives include a museum dedicated to freedom fighter Ropuiliani in Mizoram and a new Tribal Research Institute building in Arunachal Pradesh.

PM Modi highlighted two national developments during his address: the reported exit of nearly 50 crore people from extreme poverty over the past 12 to 13 years and the government’s claim of ending Naxalism and Maoist terror. He said both developments were closely connected to the lives and opportunities of tribal communities.

Referring to tribal welfare initiatives, the Prime Minister said more than ₹1 lakh crore had been allocated for the PM-JANMAN Yojana and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan. He also cited housing, rural electrification, Ayushman Bharat healthcare coverage, sanitation and collateral-free loans under the Mudra Yojana as measures aimed at improving living conditions and livelihoods.

On the security front, PM Modi said Naxalism had severely affected tribal regions for decades, with Gadchiroli among the areas impacted by violence. He said improved security was opening new opportunities for education, employment and development in formerly affected areas.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the contribution of tribal communities to nation-building and expressed pride that President Droupadi Murmu comes from a tribal community. He urged citizens to draw inspiration from Bhagwan Birsa Munda and work towards the vision of a developed India.