PM Modi to inaugurate, lay foundation stones for 246 tribal projects worth Rs 3,000 crore

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday participate in the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas programme marking the 151st birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda, and inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for 246 development projects worth around Rs 3,000 crore.

Modi will address the programme in Gadchiroli in Maharashtra, through video conferencing at 11 am.

The projects aim to strengthen education, healthcare, livelihood opportunities and community infrastructure for tribal communities across the country, an official statement said on Saturday.


Of the 246 projects, 173 will be inaugurated, including 38 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) for tribal students and 100 Multi-Purpose Centres under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN).

The prime minister will also inaugurate the Tribal Research Institute building in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Ropuiliani Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum in Aizawl, Mizoram.

The museum honours the sacrifices of Mizo tribal freedom fighters and commemorates Ropuiliani, a 19th-century Mizo chieftainess who resisted British colonial rule.

Among the projects for which foundation stones will be laid are 19 new Eklavya Model Residential Schools and 12 Tribal Multipurpose Marketing Centres aimed at improving market access for tribal producers.

Another 42 projects will be taken up under PM-JANMAN and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.

The programme will also mark the culmination of the fortnight-long Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada, observed across the country from November 1 to 15.

Activities during the fortnight included interactions with EMRS students, a National Tribal Literary Festival, training programmes for tribal healers, health and nutrition camps for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), and community service initiatives in tribal villages.