Samba – November 6: In a major initiative aimed at strengthening educational access for marginalized communities, Minister for Tribal Affairs, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, and Transport, Javed Ahmed Rana, announced the establishment of a dedicated modern Girls’ Hostel at Samba at an estimated cost of Rs 7 crore.
The announcement came during an extensive grassroots interaction with members of local tribal communities in Samba district, held as part of the ongoing ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada’ being observed across Jammu and Kashmir from November 1 to 15. The specialized residential hostel is designed to provide secure, quality lodging to tribal female students pursuing secondary and higher education, thereby curbing dropout rates in remote and nomadic settlements.
During the public interface, delegations from diverse tribal habitations submitted representations outlining issues related to housing grants, scholarship distribution, specialized healthcare, potable drinking water, rural road connectivity, reliable electricity, and sustainable livelihood support. The Minister issued on-the-spot directives to concerned departmental officers to resolve all legitimate public grievances in a time-bound manner.
Addressing the gathering, Rana reiterated that Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada is not solely an occasion to commemorate the rich cultural heritage and historical contributions of tribal communities, but an operational drive to accelerate welfare delivery at the grassroots. “Our government is firmly committed to ensuring that the benefits of social development reach every eligible tribal household, particularly those residing in remote, border, and underserved terrains,” he affirmed.
In a significant policy directive, the Minister instructed sectoral departments to mandate strict compliance with Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) norms, ensuring proportional fund allocation based on tribal population ratios in alignment with guidelines laid down by NITI Aayog and the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs. He directed the Deputy Commissioner Samba to conduct targeted outreach camps across tribal pockets to enrol all uncovered families into housing, scholarship, skill development, and social welfare nets.
Following the tribal interaction, Minister Rana conducted a surprise inspection of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godown at Jatwal in Samba. He closely examined food grain buffer stocks, storage sanitation, quality control parameters, and the dispatch mechanism under the Public Distribution System (PDS), instructing depot managers to guarantee timely, leak-proof ration distribution to all eligible cardholders.
The event was attended by Samba MLA Surjeet Singh Slathia, the Deputy Commissioner of Samba, senior officials representing the Tribal Affairs, FCS&CA, and Rural Development departments, along with representatives of local tribal Panchayats.
Published by True Roots Media