Lucknow — Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday inaugurated the six-day ‘Janjati Bhagidari Utsav’ in Lucknow to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of ‘Dharti Aaba’ Lord Birsa Munda, a revered tribal freedom fighter.
Addressing the gathering, CM Yogi said that inspired by Birsa Munda’s legacy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared November 15 as Tribal Pride Day. Remembering the tribal hero’s valiant struggle against British rule, he noted that Birsa Munda was imprisoned by the colonial government and died at the young age of 25 in Ranchi jail.
The Chief Minister inaugurated the event at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, amid the energetic beats of traditional drums and cymbals. He paid floral tributes to Birsa Munda’s statue, toured the exhibition, and watched cultural performances by tribal artists from Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.
Highlighting the national celebration of ‘Janjati Gaurav Pakhwada’ (November 1–15), the Chief Minister said the aim was to integrate tribal communities into the mainstream with dignity and equal opportunity.
Artists from 22 states — including Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Sikkim, Odisha, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Mizoram, Goa, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and partner state Arunachal Pradesh — are participating in this grand cultural festival. The event also features tribal handicrafts, art exhibitions, food fairs, and a literary forum dedicated to tribal literature and development.
CM Yogi emphasized that education among tribal communities has seen remarkable growth, enabling better access to government welfare schemes. Referring to the recent recruitment of 60,244 police personnel, he noted that all posts reserved for Scheduled Tribes were successfully filled — a testament to their growing educational empowerment.
Under the Dharti Aba Janjati Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, the Chief Minister said that all Scheduled Tribe settlements in the state are being equipped with essential amenities. The initiative covers 517 villages across 26 districts, including major tribal areas in Sonbhadra, Ballia, Lalitpur, Deoria, Lakhimpur Kheri, and Kushinagar.
These villages are being linked to welfare schemes such as Aadhaar, Ayushman Bharat, PM Ujjwala Yojana, PM Jan Dhan Yojana, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, PM Vishwakarma Yojana, Mudra Yojana, Kisan Credit Card, Jeevan Jyoti Insurance Scheme, and ration cards, ensuring full inclusion under the ‘double-engine government’ initiative.
Focusing on education, CM Yogi shared that over 1.5 lakh tribal students have received scholarships and fee reimbursements. Currently, nine Ashram Vidyalayas are operational in districts such as Lakhimpur Kheri, Balrampur, Bahraich, Maharajganj, Shravasti, and Bijnor, catering to over 2,000 students. Two free hostels are already functional, while eight more are under construction across six districts.
He added that Eklavya Model Residential Schools are functioning in Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, and Sonbhadra, with another set to open in Lalitpur. Non-residential tribal girls studying in Classes 6, 9, and 11 are also being provided with free uniforms and bicycles to promote education and empowerment.
With inputs from IANS