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The government has increased the allocation for the development of tribal communities by nearly 200 per cent with an allocation of Rs 13,000 crores, said the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal.
Speaking at the meeting on the empowerment of tribal communities in Shillong on Saturday, he said that the Union Budget 2024 sets the roadmap for India towards becoming 'Viksit Bharat.' "With renewed vigour and priority, the budget aims to boost economic, industrial, and agricultural sectors with the enablement of youth, women, and tribal communities of the Northeast," he said. The minister said, "The provision in this budget for the empowerment and enablement of tribal communities has increased nearly 200 per cent with an allocation of Rs 13,000 crores, which will be used for the welfare of the tribal communities." The minister further added that to support traditional artisans, craftsmen, self-help groups (SHGs), Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and women entrepreneurs, the budget has increased funding for programs like PM Vishwakarma, PM SVANidhi, National Livelihood Mission, and Stand Up India. Additionally, a new important scheme called Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram was introduced to promote social justice for tribal communities. This scheme aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of tribal communities and will directly benefit 5 crore tribal people in 63,000 villages, he stated. Highlighting the budgetary boost for agriculture in the Northeast, the Union Minister said that the government is working towards developing the Northeast as the hub of Natural Farming and Horticulture. "With the proposed digital crop survey, access to credit will improve via Kisan Credit Cards. An allocation of Rs 598 crores for the eco-friendly sustainable agriculture project will control the adverse effects of climate change, soil erosion, and insect, pest, and disease infestation, which will greatly improve the prospects of agricultural produce from the region," the minister said. Highlighting the Union Budget's focus on boosting manufacturing, he said the budget also aims at boosting the manufacturing and services sector, especially via the MUDRA scheme that provides necessary credit support to the MSME sector. The government's new Credit Guarantee Scheme will also support MSMEs to enhance their operational capabilities and foster growth in the region's industrial sector. The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) offers Rs 15,000 in three installments to first-time employees, and it will be integrated with the Meghalaya Industrial & Investment Promotion Policy. This will boost industrial development and job creation in the state. To enable youth power, 1000 ITIs will be upgraded, and the setting up of women's hostels and creches will help the women workforce to work in industries, he added. As part of the budget, the Finance Minister announced a major financial injection to boost infrastructure via Phase IV of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana to provide all-weather connectivity to remote areas, including the Northeast. About Rs 19,338 crores has been allocated in the budget for the improvement of the Northeast's road and highway connectivity. (ANI)
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