Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday launched ‘Aapke Adhikar, Aapki Sarkar, Aapke Dwar’ (your rights, your government, at your doorsteps) campaign at freedom fighter Birsa Munda’s native village Ulihatu and gifted welfare schemes worth over `111 crore on the occasion of Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary.
During a ceremony held at the Birsa Munda Complex, the Chief Minister also felicitated Sukhram Munda, a descendant of Birsa Munda, and called upon the tribal community to become aware of their rights.
“Your Government has come to your doorsteps to serve you better. At least 15 lakh beneficiaries are being provided green ration cards, tribal students are being sent abroad for higher education, and sportspersons are being provided direct job appointment letters,” Soren said.
Launching ‘Aapke Adhikar, Aapki Sarkar, Aapke Dwar’ campaign, a 45-day programme aimed at ensuring the benefits of various Government schemes to the commoners, the Chief Minister requested large-scale public participation in making the campaign
successful and warned officials, who fail to discharge their duties, of action.
“Awareness is strength. Members of the tribal community need to be aware of their history and their rights,” said Soren, adding that Jharkhand was formed after years of struggle by reformers who had dreamt of a
separate state, and the tribal youths need to value their contribution.
Suggesting locals to take up poultry business seriously to make the state self-sufficient in meeting the demand for eggs. Soren said that the state government has started providing eggs six days a week to school children, and it has to rely on poultry supplies from other States to meet the demand.
“If we become self-reliant in poultry products, then the state will not have to purchase eggs from other states, and locals will also get a source of income,” said Soren.
The Government also officially launched Universal Pension Scheme for senior citizens of the State on Monday. At least five beneficiaries from Ulihatu handed over their pension application to the Chief Minister during the ceremony.
“We have done away with the mandate of APL and BPL cards for the beneficiaries of the Universal Pension Scheme in order to make the process simpler,” Soren said.
Under the Universal Pension Scheme, all the citizens above the age of 60 years, specially-abed or widow above the age of 18 years will be eligible for benefits if none of their immediate family members are taxpayers or a permanent employee of the Government.
Born in 1875 in Ulihatu village of Khunti district, Birsa Munda had challenged the British rule and is credited with mobilising the tribal people against the British empire. The freedom fighter died in British custody at an early age of 25 years and attained a folk hero status. His portrait hangs in the Indian Parliament Museum.