Dhami Govt Reaffirms Commitment to Tribal Welfare and Development
Dehradun: Reaffirming the state government’s commitment to the upliftment and empowerment of tribal communities, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday distributed appointment letters to 15 newly selected assistant teachers at Government Ashram System Schools under the Tribal Welfare Department. The ceremony was held at the Mukhya Sevak Sadan, located at the Chief Minister’s official residence.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for various departmental construction projects worth over ₹15 crore.
Chief Minister Dhami expressed confidence that these initiatives will strengthen basic facilities within tribal regions and improve access to quality services for citizens. Congratulating the newly appointed teachers, he emphasized their crucial role in shaping the future of the next generation, saying that youth educators are key to holistic development.
Highlighting the historic initiatives under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Dhami noted that several transformative steps are being taken nationwide for the progress of tribal society. Among them, celebrating the birth anniversary of Lord Birsa Munda as Tribal Pride Day stands as a landmark decision.
He also pointed out that while previous governments often spoke about tribal development only in rhetoric, the current central government has delivered real progress on the ground — tripling the budget for tribal development and implementing schemes such as:
Eklavya Model Residential Schools
Pradhan Mantri Janjati Unnat Gram Abhiyan
Van Dhan Yojana
Pradhan Mantri Janjati Vikas Mission
Dhami further informed that 128 tribal villages in Uttarakhand have been selected under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Unnat Gram Abhiyan. Currently, four Eklavya Model Residential Schools are operational in Kalsi, Mehravana, Bajpur and Khatima, providing free education and hostel facilities to tribal students.
Additionally, the state has requested the Centre to approve a new Eklavya school in Pithoragarh district for the educational upliftment of Bhotiya and Raji tribes.
The Chief Minister outlined several state-led initiatives for tribal welfare, including:
👉🏻 Scholarships from primary to postgraduate levels
👉🏻 Operation of 16 government-run Ashram System Schools
👉🏻 Three ITIs offering technical training for educated tribal youth
👉🏻 Free coaching and scholarships for competitive exam preparation
Drawing inspiration from Lord Birsa Munda, Dhami said the government is equally focused on preserving the cultural heritage and demographic integrity of Uttarakhand. He highlighted key steps:
👉🏻 Enactment of a strict anti-conversion law
👉🏻 Recovery of over 9,000 acres of encroached government land
👉🏻 Implementation of the Uniform Civil Code — with tribal customs and traditions safeguarded by exempting scheduled tribes
On the occasion, Dhami also announced:
Beautification of the Tribal Research Institute
Construction of a high-tech girls’ toilet block
Establishment of a new dining hall at Adi Lakshya Sansthan
The event was attended by Cabinet Minister Ganesh Joshi, MLAs Khajan Das, Umesh Sharma Kau, Savita Kapoor, Dalip Singh Rawat, Pramod Nainwal, Tribal Commission Chairperson Lilavati Rana, Secretary Social Welfare Sridhar Babu Addanki, Director Tribal Welfare Sanjay Tolia, Director Social Welfare Chandra Singh Dharmashaktu, along with senior departmental officials.
