Tribals

Days after peace deal, senior Pak official injured in firing in Kurram

The Deputy Commissioner of northwest Pakistan's restive Kurram district was injured when assailants fired on his convoy on Saturday, days after a peace agreement was reached between two warring parties in the sectarian-violence-hit district. According to sources, the incident took place in the Kojalai Baba village near Bagan, when residents opened fire on military vehicles, injuring Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kurram Javedullah Mehsud and three security personnel. Mehsud was in the area to review arrangements for an aid convoy to take food items to the district after the main Peshawar-Sadda-Thall-Parachinar road's opening after 85 days of closure. Sources said that the firing took place during negotiations between government officials and the protestors who had blocked the main road. Mehsud was shot thrice and was rushed to a hospital in the Lower Alizai tehsil for treatment. Three protestors were also injured, official sources said. We suspect that local spoilers are involved in th

House panel flags fund lapses in scheme for vulnerable tribal groups

A parliamentary standing committee has expressed concern over the lack of funds disbursed to key states under the Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) scheme during 2022-23. No allocations were made to states like Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which have significant tribal populations, making the Committee to question how planned developmental work was carried out in the absence of resources. The parliamentary panel report on Social Justice and Empowerment for demand for grants by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs emphasised the need to avoid the pitfalls of previous programmes, citing underutilisation of allocated funds, delays in submission of utilisation certificates by states and procedural inefficiencies. The report was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday. "The Committee note that during the period 2020-21 to 2022-23, the budgetary allocation made under Development of particularly vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVT

Death toll in Pak's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa rises to 124 as gunbattle continues

Death toll in Khurram tribal sectarian violence rose to 124 with two more deaths on Saturday as a gunbattle continued between Shia and Sunni groups despite a ceasefire in Pakistan's northwestern Province Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. More than 170 people have been injured in the sectarian violence raging for the last last ten days, authorities said. Province's governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Friday extended an offer to Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to personally visit the disturbed area. Clashes between Alizai and Bagan tribes in the district started on November 22, after an attack on a convoy of passenger vans near Parachinar in which 47 people were killed a day earlier. Several passengers who had sustained grave injuries succumbed later, taking the death toll to 57. At least 37 people have been killed and scores injured over the last two days alone in the violence that began in Bagan Bazaar area and spread to other parts such as Balishkhel, Khar, Kali, Junj Alizai, and Maqbal. The ...

Cong leader urges PM to visit Odisha's Kandhamal where 3 tribal women died

Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Srikant Jena urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Manipanka village in Kandhamala district where three tribal women died after consuming mango kernel gruel allegedly do to scarcity of food grain. The PM is on a three-day visit of Odisha from Friday, during which he will attend the All India DGP/IGP Conference. Jena had earlier led a Congress fact-finding team to Mandipanka village in Kandhamal district where the three tribal women died. He alleged that the people consumed mango kernel gruel for lack of foodgrains. "I humbly request you to dedicate one day to visiting Mandipanka village to witness first hand the harsh realities of how tribal people are living in complete neglect. This visit would highlight their struggles and underscore the urgent need for immediate action to address these issues," Jena said in a letter to the Prime Minister on Friday. The Congress leader said that after visiting the affected village, a delegat

Benefits of Central schemes not reaching landless tribals: Prez Murmu

The President had told the NITI Aayog to pave the way for providing lands and also enhanced financial allocation to the tribals

Development requires active participation of tribal community: President

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday said the development of the country is not possible without the active participation of tribals, and stressed the need to learn from this community how to live in harmony with nature. Speaking at the 3rd and 4th joint convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhilai in Chhattisgarh's Durg district, she hailed the institute's efforts towards addressing the issues and problems of the tribal community through technology. "Chhattisgarh is rich in tribal culture and tradition. Tribal community understands nature very closely and have been living in harmony with the environment for centuries. Tribal brothers and sisters are a storehouse of knowledge attained by their lifestyle linked to nature. By understanding their thinking and their lifestyle, we can make a significant contribution to the development of India," President Murmu said. The development of the country is only possible when the tribal brothers and sisters become active ...

Tribal identity takes poll position as both, JMM and BJP trying to woo them

Soren government's nod to form a panel to study plight of tribals of Jharkhand staying in Assam and other states has sparked debates, even as both JMM and BJP claim to protect tribal rights

India's development deeply intertwined with environment conservation: EAM

India's development journey is "deeply intertwined" with environmental conservation, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday and lauded tribal communities for their role in protecting biodiversity. He was speaking at an event held at the India Habitat Centre here to mark the inauguration of a tribal art exhibition -- 'Silent Conversation: From the Margins to the Centre' in Delhi. In his address, Jaishankar also praised the 'Project Tiger' that was started in 1973. "It is not an exaggeration, it is a shining example of success. And, for which the tribals communities deserve immense credit," the Union minister said. Jaishankar further said that this art does not just show creativity, it sends a "profound message, one that bridges the gap between nature and humanity.. from tigers to tribals". This exhibition showcases that people can exist with nature in complete harmony. It weaves the story of how tribal community over millennia has forged an enduring bond with natur

Govt making efforts to preserve cultural identity of tribals: Maha Guv

Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan on Tuesday asserted the central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was committed to ensure all-round development of tribals. Special efforts are being made to preserve the cultural identity, traditions and heritage of adivasis, he emphasised and added there are plans to establish a tribal university in Maharashtra. Radhakrishnan was speaking after inaugurating an 'Adivasi Mela' organised by the Chandrapur district administration at Pombhurna town. It is a matter of great pride for a tribal woman to occupy the top constitutional post of the country's president, he said. "This region is known as 'Gondwana', which reminds us of the legacy of Gond rulers who governed this land for centuries. The government under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi is very committed to ensure development of tribal people in the region," he said. "As the Governor, I am also the guardian of scheduled areas of the state ...

Tribals to intensify agitation against B'deshi infiltrators: Champai Soren

Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren on Monday demanded a thorough probe into illegal land transactions in the Santhal Parganas region, and asserted that tribals will intensify agitation against Bangladeshi infiltrators in the state. The remarks of Soren, who switched over to the BJP from the JMM last month, came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the JMM-led coalition in Jharkhand for allegedly patronising infiltration, and said infiltrators were grabbing land and changing the demography of the region, besides committing atrocities on women. Infiltration poses a grave threat to the tribal society's existence. The Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, meant to protect tribal land rights, is being violated. I demand a probe into all illegal land transactions in the region. The tribals are uniting and will oust the Bangladeshi infiltrators, Soren claimed. Earlier in the day, he participated in a tribal rally here and paid homage to their icons like Baba Tilka Manjhi and

BJP counts on a Soren to woo tribal votes in Jharkhand Assembly polls

As Champai Soren's switching sides gives BJP leaders renewed hope ahead of Assembly polls, ruling party claims it will only consolidate Hemant's tribal support base, reports Aditi Phadnis

Adivasi Divas 2024: All you need to know about Indigenous Peoples Day

India celebrates Adivasi Divas on August 9 every year to honour the indigenous tribal communities known as Adivasis, which are acknowledged as the country's original inhabitants

2,100 tribal students to be trained in chip technology at IISc: Govt

The tribal affairs ministry in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, will provide basic training to 1,500 and advanced training to 600 tribal students in semiconductor technology over the next three years, the government informed Parliament on Thursday. In response to a question by BJP MP C M Ramesh, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey said his ministry has given the project -- Semiconductor Fabrication & Characterization Training for Students from Tribal Community -- to the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). The project, which was given to the institute under the central sector scheme Tribal Research Information, Education, Communication and Events (TRI-ECE) during the financial year 2023-24, aims to deliver 2,100 NSQF-certified level 6.0 and 6.5 training in semiconductor technology to tribal students over three years, he said. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs in collaboration with the ...

Crimes against tribals, Dalits increased under BJP govt in Raj, says Gehlot

Crimes against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes increased rapidly after the BJP assumed power in Rajasthan, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot said on Monday. He also demanded that Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma himself take cognisance and ensure the safety of Dalits and tribals. Sharing a news report of a crime in Jodhpur's Shergarh, Gehlot said in a post on X, "During our government in Rajasthan, prompt action was taken on crimes against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and the police always stood firmly with the victim. Crimes against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes increased rapidly in the state since the change of government." "Crimes against Dalits and tribals have increased. The crime percentage, which was 32.7 per cent in January 2024, rose to 33.7 per cent in February, 34.1 per cent in March, 19.5 per cent in April, 62.5 per cent in May and 53.37 per cent in June," he said in Hindi. A 40-year-old man was allegedly thrashed by a group of people in Shergarh

What the tribals fear

Tribal voters are worried about threats to their identity from the UCC and the BJP would do well to keep this in mind

Modi 3.0: Jual Oram takes charge as Tribal Affairs minister in new govt

Veteran BJP leader Jual Oram, who holds the distinction of being the country's first Tribal Affairs minister, assumed the responsibility again on Friday and said tribal education and health will be the top priorities of the Modi government. The 63-year-old leader made his way to the Lok Sabha for the fifth time after defeating BJD candidate and former Indian Hockey captain Dilip Tirkey by 1,38,808 votes on his home turf Sundargarh in Odisha. "This is the third time I am taking charge of the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry. I pray to Lord Jagannath, and I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this responsibility," Oram told reporters after taking charge. He said tribal education and health will be the Modi government's top priorities. "The biggest issue in the tribal areas of the country is education. I thank PM Modi for working on the issue. I told PM Modi this when I met him in the first Modi government. He asked what one thing is the most important for tribals. I said education.

LS polls: Pangs of deprivation among tribals seen in Bengal's Bankura

An indomitable spirit of struggle seems to be the source of sustenance for residents of the Santhal villages of Ranibandh in Bankura, where pangs of deprivation of access to government welfare schemes like Awas, Lakshmir Bhandar or MGNREGA keep their lives on the edge. Although infrastructure developments in the form of blacktop roads cutting across the lush green forests, solar street lights in some pockets and tap water connections to households were apparent, people claim that unequal distribution of government benefits affects them big time. The story remains uniform across the Santhal villages of Ghagra, Rautera, Sonardi, Haludkanali and several other forest-covered areas, forming parts of West Bengal's Jangalmahal, which were affected by Maoist activities a little over a decade ago. "Some are getting these benefits twice over, while others are fully deprived," said Sukhlal Mandi, who works as an occasional bus driver on a local route, while sitting outside his modest but ...

LS polls: EC says its focus on vulnerable tribal groups bearing dividends

The Election Commission said on Wednesday its efforts over the last two years to include the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) in the electoral process have started showing results. The poll panel said members from these communities participated enthusiastically in voting in the first two phases of the ongoing Lok Sabha election and pointed out that the Shompen tribe of Great Nicobar voted for the first time in a parliamentary election. India has 8.6 per cent tribal population, including 75 groups that come under the PVTG category. Setting up polling booths in previously-inaccessible areas has led to a large-scale inclusion of the PVTGs, the EC said in a statement. In the last 11 state Assembly polls, there were around nine lakh eligible voters from 14 PVTGs. "The commission's special efforts ensured 100 per cent enrolment of PVTGs in those states," the poll authority said. In the last two years since he took over as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Rajiv Kumar ha

Bharat Adivasi Party eyes Lok Sabha seats reserved for STs across states

Bharat Adivasi Party in the past elections cornered a major portion of tribal votes in Rajasthan. It is now eyeing Lok Sabha seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes across states

'Govt exploring partnerships with UN agencies for betterment of tribals'

The government is proactively exploring collaborative partnerships with UN agencies and international foundations to leverage their expertise and resources for the betterment of tribal communities in the country, officials said on Wednesday. Senior officials of the tribal affairs ministry held a crucial meeting with representatives of UN agencies, including World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, United Nations Development Programme and United Nations Environment Programme, on Tuesday to explore potential collaborations and partnerships in different sectors to enhance tribal development. Vibhu Nayar, the secretary in the ministry, said these partnerships are crucial to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) in India. The meeting sought to identify key areas of intervention where UN agencies and international foundations can contribute to tribal development. The participants discussed potential projects and initiatives that can be undertaken in the health, education, ...