Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Tribal Affairs Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali today said that as part of efforts for socio-economic development of Scheduled Tribes (STs) specially tailored educational and livelihood programmes are being undertaken to fill in the critical gaps.The Minister said this during a meeting convened with the officers of health, tribal and other concerned departments to devise a plan to start area-specific and demand-driven courses in the educational institutions in the state targeted at people from ST communities.The meeting was attended by Vice Chairman State Advisory Board for Development of Gujjars and Bakerwals, Ch. Gulzar Ahmed Khatana, Principal Secretary Health, Dr Pawan Kotwal, Commissioner Secretary, Tribal Affairs Department Kifayat Hussain Rizvi.The Minister directed the officers of Health and administrative department to work out the modalities for starting skill development and vocational training in paramedical courses for the tribal youth.The training course envisions training a total of 1,100 ST students (50 from each district) in Paramedical Courses including Geriatric care, Medical Assistants, GNM and FMPHW during the current financial year.
Stressing on adopting pragmatic approach, Zulfkar said that socio economic development of under privileged sections of the society is the priority of the government and various schemes have been launched to cater to their needs.With special focus on overall development of tribal people, special attention is given being given for the implementation of various schemes and programmes envisaging their welfare and development,” the Minister asserted.Zulfkar said that the present era demands for ensuring basic amenities to tribal people for which determined efforts are being made by the government.Director Health Services Jammu, Dr Gurjeet Singh, Principal GMC Jammu Dr Sunanda Raina, Registrar, J&K SPMC Dr Sandeep Singh, Additional Secretary Health and Medical Education, N.A Wani, Director Finance Tribal Affairs Dr S K Sen, Principals of AMT School Jammu and AMT Kashmir, Secretary Gujjar Bakerwal Advisory Board Mukhtar Chowdhary and other senior officers of concerned departments were also present in the meeting.