At a meeting of tribal MLAs, leaders and ministers at the state secretariat, Nabanna, the chief minister ordered officials to prepare a detailed roadmap for the development of tourism and said that more awareness was necessary to let tribals know about the benefits of welfare schemes.
It was also decided to give priorities to tribals when giving jobs in government projects in the tribal areas of the state.
“Eighty percent of areas where tribal communities live are also tourist spots, including Jhargram, Purulia, and Bankura. We raised and discussed the issue of homestays in the tribal-dominated Junglemahal (Purulia , Bankura and Jhargram districts). At the meeting, it was highlighted that a large number of resorts are coming up in tribal areas that are styled like tribal homes and offer tribal food to visitors. But the owners of such resorts are outsiders and tribals are not getting benefit,” said a TMC MLA present at the meeting.
“Our chief minister asked officers to find ways of giving training and financial support to tribal families who will open and run homestays. In this way, tourists will get the real experience of tribal homes and can learn about tribal culture from them, eat authentic tribal food. Tribal families will also get direct benefits and money,” said the MLA.
The chief minister also asked MLAs and ministers, including Birbaha Hansda, Jyotsna Mandi, Sandhyarani Tudu and Buluchik Baraik, to form a team and visit the tribal areas to find out the problems faced by the community.
The team will also reach out to tribal communities with the state government’s schemes and find out ways for further development of the communities and their areas.
“The chief minister was unhappy that proper awareness of state government schemes is not there in some parts of Junglemahal. She directed us to visit tribal villages and talk about their needs and problems. We will submit reports and solutions to the problems,” said another MLA.
The issue of jobs where state-run projects are coming up was also raised. “The chief minister highlighted that in projects like Deucha Pachami (India’s largest coal block) in Birbhum, and the 1000 MW Turga Pumped Storage Power project in Purulia, adequate compensation packages and jobs will be given. Priority will be given to tribal communities in jobs in the project area too,” said another MLA.