Amit Shah Promises Development Boards for Tribals, Minimum Forest Produce Price, Water for Everyone

In an attempt to woo the tribal communities in Jangalmahal (consists of Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore districts), the Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised to establish specific development boards for tribal groups such as Santhal, Oraon, Munda, Bhumij, Kora, Lodha, Mahali, Bedia, Sabar to address their grievances.

Addressing a public rally in Baghmundi in Purulia district, Shah said, “In a significant decision, we have decided to form various Jangalmahal Development Boards for tribal groups such as Santhal, Oraon, Munda, Bhumij, Kora, Lodha, Mahali, Bedia, Sabar to address their grievances.”

He said, “The Jangalmahal Development Boards will be given Rs 10 crore each to take up area-wise welfare activities. Not the least, we have decided to form a separate board for tribal youths to ensure that they should get jobs. To get rid of the cut commission of TMC, we have also decided to launch an online system so that tribal brothers and sisters can get their caste certificate online. Implementation of Minimum Forest Produce (MFP) price for 49 forest produce to provide the right price of products is also in the pipeline. We will organise Adivasi Smriti Sangralay in Jhargram to commemorate the contribution of Birsa Munda and other Adivasi icons. These all facilities are only possible if you help BJP to govern the State.”

Highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 115 welfare schemes for the poor, Shah said, “Our PM is working hard for the welfare of the poor people and launched 115 schemes and on other hand, Mamata Banerjee has brought 115 scams in Bengal. Now you have to decide whether you want to vote for BJP or TMC. In Jangalmahal, drinking water is a big problem and forcing our mothers and sisters to walk miles after miles to fetch drinking water. Mamata Banerjee has done nothing to ensure drinking water for the people of Jangalmahal and rest of Bengal.”

He said, “If you want to get rid of the water crisis then vote for BJP. We will set up a ‘Proti Bari Porishkar Jol’ Fund at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore to ensure that every household gets clean drinking water by 2024. We will initiate the ‘Mukhyomontri Shuddho Jol’ Scheme to ensure good quality of water in 11 critical districts (Malda, Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Bardhaman, Bankura, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Nadia, Howrah, Hooghly) affected by fluoride, iron and arsenic contamination. Concerned over the health care facilities in Jangalmahal, we have decided to build AIIMS so that people should get the best health care facilities.”

For the dominant ‘Kurmis’ (tribal community), Shah promised to establish an Eklavya Model Residential School in each block of Tribal dominated districts.

He also promised that the BJP government in Bengal (if comes to power) will ensure the construction of hostel facilities for Scheduled Tribes (ST) students in all blocks and 50 percent financial assistance for education and basic living expenses to ST students who secure admission in reputed national institutes and other professional courses.

Accusing Mamata for blocking central government schemes, he said, “Mamata Banerjee is ‘not implementing’ schemes like PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi and Ayushman Bharat schemes in the State. But we will implement it in the first cabinet meeting once we will form the government in Bengal.