Gandhinagar

Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel distributed assistance and kits worth Rs.11.32-crore to 6,443 beneficiaries on the second day of phase-2 of the 8th Garib Kalyan Mela at Pavi Jetpur in the predominantly tribal district of Chhotaudepur. They included beneficiaries from Chhotaudepur, Pavi Jetpur and Kwant talukas.

She dedicated the Rs.1.42-crore Taluka Panchayat building at Pavi Jetpur, besides launching Tejas smart tablet for intensive monitoring of campaign against malnutrition, and Setu android application for the security of women.

She also commissioned the CCTV network in six police stations of Chhotaudepur district, the Rs.25-crore newly built modern Seva Sadan at Chhotaudepur, and Charoli Collection of CDs on Minor Forest Produces prepared by the Forest Department about the Bordha Self-Help Group (SHG). She asked the tribal women to supplement their income through vermi-culture with the help of three-tier state government agency for the SHGs.

Speaking on the occasion, Mrs. Patel asked the beneficiaries to make maximum utilization of the government’s various welfare schemes with hard works, come out of the stigma of poverty, and be self-reliant and contribute to the state’s development.
She described announcement of 196 hamlets in the forest areas of the state as revenue villages and distribution of land deeds to 78,000 people living in the forests as historic events.

Mrs. Patel asked industrial and business houses to adopt schools. She complimented the Alembic CSR Foundation and Uday Education Society of Vadodara for adopting eight government schools in Chhotaudepur, resulting in sea change in the quality of education even in a tribal area.

The Chief Minister said that the State Government has so far disbursed assistance worth Rs.12,000-crore to nearly 81-lakh beneficiaries in 1,078 Garib Kalyan Melas in the statewide annual Garib Kalyan Melas during the previous seven years.

Gujarat’s Minister of State for Tribal Welfare and District Guardian Minister Kantibhai Gamit said the State Government has started 85 new schools, including one Sainik School and Eklavya Model Residency School, in forest areas of the state. MP Ramsinh Rathwa and MLA Jayantibhai Rathwa also spoke on the occasion. Prant Officer B.M. Patel delivered the welcome address.

Those present on the occasion included District Panchayat President Rashmikant Vasava, ex-MLAs, taluka panchayat presidents and office-bearers, Collector Jenu Devan, DDO Saurabh Pargh and Mukhya Van Sanrakshak Ram Kumar.

– Information