Khunti (Jharkhand) [India] : With an eye on attaining saturation of flagship schemes of the government and taking to beneficiaries in a time-bound manner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Janajatiya Gaurav Divas on Wednesday launched a special initiative.
Through the initiative called ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’, the focus would be to reach out to people and create awareness and provide benefits of welfare schemes like sanitation facilities, essential financial services, electricity connections, access to LPG cylinders, housing for the poor, food security, proper nutrition, reliable healthcare, clean drinking water.
Enrolment of potential beneficiaries will be done through details ascertained during the Yatra.
Prime Minister flagged off IEC (Information, Education and Communication) vans in Khunti, Jharkhand, marking the launch of ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’. The Yatra will start from districts with significant tribal populations initially and by January 26, 2024, will cover all districts across the country.
PM Modi said that his guarantee means a guarantee of fulfilment of every guarantee. “Vikas Bharat Sankalp Yatra is in a way Modi’s guarantee to the poor, mothers and sisters, youth and farmers of the country.”
“Developed India Sankalp Yatra is starting from today. This yatra will start today on 15th November, the birth anniversary of Lord Birsa Munda and will continue till 26th January next year. In this journey, the government will go to every village of the country in a mission mode, every poor and every deprived person will be made the beneficiary of government schemes,” PM Modi said.
“There are 4 pillars of developed India – First – Women of India, our women power Second – Indian farmers, our cattle rearers, fish farmers, our food providers. Third – Youth of India, our youth power Fourth – India’s middle class, India’s poor. The stronger we strengthen these 4 pillars, the higher the pillars of developed India will rise,” he said.
PM Modi added social justice can be assured only when everyone gets the benefits of government schemes equally, and in the same spirit.
“For decades, there was a lot of talk in our country about social justice and secularism. But true secularism comes only when all possibilities of discrimination against any citizen of the country are eliminated,” PM Modi said.
During the Khunti event, PM Modi also launched the first of its kind initiative – ‘Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM PVTG) Development Mission’.
There are 75 PVTGs in 18 States and UTs living in 22,544 villages (220 districts) having a population of around 28 lakhs.
These tribes stay in scattered, remote and inaccessible habitations, often in forest areas. The mission with a budget of about Rs 24,000 crore, is planned to saturate PVTG families and habitations with basic facilities such as road and telecom connectivity, electricity, safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
In addition, separately, saturation will be ensured for PMJAY, Sickle Cell Disease Elimination, TB Elimination, 100% immunisation, PM Surakshit Matritva Yojana, PM Matru Vandana Yojana, PM Poshan, PM Jan Dhan Yojana.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi on paid floral tributes to Indian tribal activist and folk hero Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary at his native village Ulihatu in the Khunti district of Jharkhand. The Prime Minister garlanded the statue of Birsa Munda and paid obeisance to the late tribal hero.
He too visited the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Memorial Park and Freedom Fighter Museum in Ranchi and paid tributes to the late tribal leader this morning.