Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and Tribal Affairs Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali today laid the foundation online for development projects to come up at various districts for upliftment of Tribal community.The online foundations includesEklavya Model Residential School at Kargil, Residential Schools at Kupwara, Bandipora and Poonch, Cluster Model villages at Nechaian-Kupwara, Rajwar-Kupwara and Kandi Rafabad-Baramulla were laid by the Minister in presence of Vice-Chairman, State Advisory Board for Development of Gujjar Bhakerwal, Gulzar Khatana, Legislators Choudhary Qamar Hussain and Yawar Ahmad Mir and Commissioner Secretary Tribal Affairs Kifayat Hussain. The construction of these development projects would be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 63.5 crore.Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that these development initiatives will uplift socio-economic status of the people in these areas. He directed the concerned Deputy Commissioners to expedite the process for construction of these projects and complete them within stipulated time.The Minister said, “The government is committed for inclusive development of the tribal community and raise their living standards for which various schemes have been introduced.”He directed Deputy Commissioners of Bandipora and Baramulla to identify the land for construction of Cluster Model Villages and Eklavya Model Schools and prepare DPRs in this regard.
Earlier, the Minister convened a meeting with the officers of Tribal Affairs and other departments to start area-specific and demand-driven courses in the educational institutions.The Minister informed that the government would impart training to the 1,920 tribal youth in the state where 30 per cent seats would be reserved for the female students.The Minister said that skill development programmes should be started in Gujjar and Bhakerwal Hostels. A total of 1,100 ST students (50 from each district) would be trained in Paramedical Courses including Geriatric care, Medical Assistants, GNM and FMPHW during the current financial year, he added. He directed the Mission Director Jammu and Kashmir State Skill Development Mission Dr. Peer Ghulam Nabi Suhail to impart quality training to the youth in skill development institutes.He said that providing skill development training to youth will create ample job opportunities in the state to curb unemployment.Commissioner Secretary Technical Education Department Hilal Ahmad Parray, Director Technical Education Shabnam S Kamili, Director Tribal Affairs, Mohammad Rafi, Mission Director Skill Development Mission Dr. Peer Ghulam Nabi Suhail, Director Health Kashmir Dr Saleem, Director Finance Tribal Affairs Department M.S Choudhary, Principal AMT School Rajni Sharma, Secretary Gujjar Bakerwal Advisory Board Mukhtar Chowdhary and other senior officers of concerned departments were present in the meeting.