About a dozen tribal cluster model villages would be developed in Jammu and Kashmir as the state government plans to spend around Rs 120 crore on various tribal welfare programmes, an official spokesman said today.
"The Jammu and Kashmir government will be spending around Rs 120 crore on various programmes aimed at the welfare of the tribal population in the state.
"This would include Rs 100 crore earmarked by the Government of India under the Tribal Sub-Plan and Rs 20 crore to be provided by the state government under the capex budget," he said, adding that the information was given at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to review the implementation of the Tribal Action Plan here today.
Ten tribal cluster model villages would be developed in the state under the Tribal Action Plan with an investment of around Rs 5 crore each, the spokesman said, adding that the programme is aimed at bridging infrastructure gaps in tribal areas with a focus on education, healthcare and creating sustainable employment avenues.
The other components of the plan include providing safe drinking water, irrigation, electricity, all-weather roads and housing facilities in the selected clusters.
Of the proposed allocation of Rs 100 crore under the Tribal Sub-Plan, Rs 3 crore would be spent on infrastructure building in the education sector and Rs 2.5 crore in the health sector in each cluster village.
Besides, Rs 5 crore each is being spent on completion of Eklavya Model Residential Schools in Kulgam and Anantnag districts of south Kashmir, the spokesman said.
The other components of the Tribal Sub Plan include allocation of Rs 15 crore for construction of 16 new tribal hostels and repair and renovation of the existing hostels, Rs 10 crore for skill training of the tribal youth, Rs 3 crore for development of tourism infrastructure, Rs 2 crore for construction of Centre of Excellence and a Rs-5 crore support to Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe or Other Backward Class Corporation.
