Dimapur, December 2: The national executive meeting of Bharatiya Adim Jati Seva Sangh (BAJSS), New Delhi was held on Friday here at Hotel East Inn, Dimapur, in which members representing the different states of the country and organizations affiliated to it participated and discussed concerns relating to the issues being faced by the tribal population in the country.
President of BAJSS, NC Hembrum in his address mentioned about the need of extending and strengthening the activities of the organization in Northeastern states where various vulnerable tribal communities are living, especially in the time of climate change and its adverse impacts on the ecosystem and livelihood of millions of forest dwellers and marginal farmers.
He said that as every area coming under the fifth schedule of the Constitution should be developed as centers of excellence with educational institutions and its services at par with the Navodaya Vidyalaya and health services should be upgraded according to the requirement of the community. In those areas, centers should be established that nurture and promote tribal culture, traditions, especially their languages which are also facing vulnerability.
He alleged that the successive governments remained not concerned about the rights of the tribal population and are focused on votes and cited that there is also no proper data about the tribal population.
The meeting also discussed and urged the government to implement PESA in all 5th scheduled areas with its letter and spirit to protect the right and entitlements of tribal communities.
Hembrum said that while the Northeastern states fall under the sixth schedule unlike other parts of the country, the provisions are only in writing and not implemented in its true sense.
Talking to the media persons on the occasion, he also gave a brief history of the organization and stated that BAJSS was established in the year 1948 – 49 by renowned social worker Thakkar Bapa, who was a close associated with Mahatma Gandhi and that the first president of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the also first president of the organization.
He said that the organization had recently submitted a representation to the President of India regarding National Creche Scheme for Working Mothers’ Children. In the representation, BAJSS cited that the Ministry of Women & Child Development after 70 years of Independence transferred the scheme to the state government in a ratio of 60% & 40% joint funding arrangements w.e.f. January, 2017, and that since them the scheme has remained non-operative.
In the representation, BAJSS requested Murmu to “advise the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India to give the status of Nodal Agency to BAJSS for running 5522 no. of Creche Unit on the basis of 9% Tribal Population.”
During his interaction, he mentioned that in Nagaland, there are two organisations affiliated with it which are Nagaland Children’s Home and Mary Society.
(Page News Service)
