CM chairs review meeting of TDD explaining several tribal welfare measures

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani Saturday chaired a review meeting of the Tribal Development Department and announced several tribal welfares measures.

The chief minister allowed a tribal farmer to apply for a secondary electricity connection for agricultural purposes even when he owns less than four acres of land, a government press release said. A non-tribal farmer needs to own over eight acres of land to apply for a secondary electricity connection.

Rupani directed the Revenue Department to make a revenue record within a month of 196 forest villages that were converted into revenue villages, it said. Tribals have also been exempted from obtaining a non-agriculture certificate for their land if they wish to set up a grain mill, the release said. The chief minister asked officials of the Revenue, Forests and Irrigation departments to meet within 15 days and find a solution to the rehabilitation of tribals displaced due to the government's irrigation scheme, the release further said.

Among other measures concerning the education of tribal students, CM Rupani announced that residential schools and schools for girls in tribal areas will get a subsidy on first 12 gas cylinders. He also directed the Revenue department to finish 47 pending cases related to land for tribal schools, the release said.