CM to hold the first meet of Tribes Advisory Council today

Kolkata: With a focus to ensure further development of the people from tribal communities in the state, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has convened a meeting of West Bengal Tribes Advisory Council on Monday.

This is the first meeting of the advisory council after it was re-constituted. This is again the first meeting of the West Bengal Tribes Advisory Council under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister after Trinamool Congress came to power for the third consecutive term with a thumping majority and regained its control in Jangalmahal besides a much better result in north Bengal.

The meeting would be held at Nabanna Sabhaghar from 3 pm and it would be attended by all members of the council including Minister of State for Paschimanchal Unnayan Affairs department Sandhyarani Tudu, Minister of State for Food and Supplies Jyotsna Mandi, Minister of State for Forest Birbaha Hansda and MLAs including Sukumar Mahata, Paresh Murmu, Dulal Murmu, Manoj Tigga, Debnath Hansda and Rajib Lochan Soren.

District Magistrates of Jhargram, Bankura, Purulia, West Midnapore, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, North 24-Parganas and Jalpaiguri would also be attending the meeting.

Chairperson of DPSC Jhartgram Birbnaha Soren Tudu and Former MP from Alipurduar Dashrath Tirkey has been requested to attend the meeting as special invitees.

In the past 10 years the Mamata Banerjee government has ensured a massive development for the tribal community. starting from securing land rights for tribals to setting up of schools have been done by the state government. Bengal is one of the few districts where the state government has protected the land rights of tribals as their land cannot be transferred to anyone from non-tribal communities.

At least 100 schools for tribal populace and 500 schools exclusively to teach in Alchiki script have been set up, besides Hindi Medium Banarhat College started functioning.

Recently Banerjee visited Jhargram and attended the programme of International Tribal Day.

The Jai Johar scheme has been started for old-age pensions for elderly people of the community.

Special drive has been taken to help them get caste certificates. Bi-cycles have been distributed among school students studying in class IX to XII from ST community.