Priyanka Gandhi's Call for Inclusive Development: Bridging Wayanad's Connectivity Divide

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urges the government to address connectivity issues for tribal communities in Wayanad. Highlighting the limitations of current eligibility criteria under PMGSY-IV, she calls for more inclusive measures to facilitate healthcare, education, and employment access, bridging the gap of exclusion in remote areas.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has raised concerns about pressing issues faced by tribal communities in Wayanad, highlighting the dire need for improved road connectivity and irrigation facilities.

In a letter to Rural Development and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Vadra stressed the importance of extending connectivity to over 3,200 tribal settlements in Wayanad under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV. She pointed out that current criteria, demanding a minimum population of 500 with over 50 percent Scheduled Tribes, unjustly exclude the majority of these settlements.

Vadra emphasized that road connectivity is a vital link for improving healthcare, education, and employment opportunities, and urged the government to prioritize the welfare of these communities by relaxing restrictive criteria. She called for equitable development to reach even the remotest corners of the nation, labeling connectivity as a psychological and social lifeline.

(With inputs from agencies.)