New Delhi:(Page3 News Network)-The Minister of Tribal Affairs and Panchayati Raj inaugurated a consultation with North Eastern States was held here today on the issues of tribal development. In his inaugural address, highlighting the importance of the regional consultation, the Minister emphasized the strengthening of coordination and cooperation between Ministry of Tribal Affairs and North Eastern States on issues relating to Scheduled Tribes; to understand perspective plans of North Eastern States for the 12th Plan regarding development of STs including strategies for bridging development deficits; to share specific initiatives/experience of North Eastern States for protection and empowerment of STs and to review pending issues relating to on-going schemes of the Ministries. Shri Deo also emphasized the strategic importance of the North Eastern States and the critical importance which the Government has accorded for the development and amelioration of the lot of STs inhabiting the North Eastern States (which falls in the Sixth Schedule Areas). He said that the creation of a separate Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) and recent induction of Ministers of State from North East, are also indicative of the importance being accorded by the Government to the North Eastern States. Listing out the priorities as the Minister of Tribal Affairs, the Minister made a specific mention to education and health and various welfare initiatives taken by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
The consultation was attended by Shri Paban Singh Ghatowar, Minister of State (IC) of DONER and Smt. Ranee Narah, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs and Shri Rameshwar Oraon, Chairman, NCST. It was also attended by the senior officials of the Departments from Tribal Department/Welfare Department, Planning Commission and Ministry of Home Affairs.
The participating States including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Sikkim gave presentation in Technical Session1. The deliberations were held on important pending issues on implementation of various schemes administered by Ministry of Tribal Affairs in North Eastern States during Technical Session II and an orientation workshop on implementation of Forest Rights Act vis-à-vis the North Eastern States was held in the final session.
