“The Union Government has been endeavouring endlessly to bring development in the North East, including Arunachal Pradesh to change the fortunes of tribal people of the region. Mahatma Gandhi-National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MG-NREGA) and PMGSY are some of the important schemes aimed at raising economy of the tribals,” stated the Minister.
Bhuria was addressing a huge gathering on the occasion of Dree festival celebrations at Ziro in Lower Subansiri district yesterday, as chief guest.
Commenting on cultural diversities of the country, the Union Minister said that all tribal groups in India need to know each others’ lifestyle and culture, and to work together for their common goal, i.e., development.
“The economic and educational backwardness are the two factors coming in the way of their development. These have to be mitigated with concerted efforts of all the tribal groups through the recently floated Tribal Parliamentary Forum,” Bhuria said.
Speaking on the occasion, Arunachal MP Takam Sanjoy divulged that the State will soon have a common festival of its tribes in New Delhi. The event named Arunachal Festival will be held to showcase the cultural traditions of all the tribes of the State.
Sanjoy termed the Apatani community as enterprising and hardworking and said many other tribes of the State and the country need to learn a few things from them. Describing the youths as the future ambassadors of the community, the MP called upon them to preserve their cultural identities to make it known to people from other parts of the country.
Dree festival was also celebrated in other parts of the State such as Itanagar, Daporijo in Upper Subansiri district, Tezu in Lohit and Roing in Lower Dibang Valley district with traditional gaiety and religious fervour.
On Sunday, soon after his arrival, the Union Minister laid the foundation stone of the Rajiv Gandhi Information Technology Park at Ziro and asked the local MLA Padi Richo to give him the details of the project. Bhuria said the IT Park would help in reducing the unemployment among the youth of the region.
Bhuria announced the establishment of one of the 100 Eklavya Model Residential Schools as proposed by the government in recent past, for Arunachal Pradesh. The Centre will provide Rs 16 crore for the setting up of each such school.