Page 65 - SocialHarmony

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In the Service of the Forest Regions

(Inauguration of the Panchayat at Dahod district,
Dhanpura Taluka. June 6, 2003)

The Dahod district of Gujarat state is primarily inhabited by
tribals belonging to the Bakshi Panch. This area is not
unknown to me as I have spent my youth touring through it by
bus, scooter and motor-bike. Hence, I know about the problems
of this area. It is our endeavour to bring happiness to the people
in the lowest strata of the society. With this aim in mind, the
State Government has created a stream of progress plans. The
discussions for the development of tribals and the plans for their
upliftment have been ongoing for decades. Even in the past huge
amounts of money have been spent on such development
projects for tribals. I am not a fool to claim that my predecessors
have not made plans for development or spent money for the
tribals. However, the difference is the priority of plans.

In the past, assistance was available for the development
of tribals from the government and grand programmes were
held for the same. The government would give a loan for buying
five hens, which would help a tribal to sell eggs and earn his
livelihood. Rosy pictures of a happy life were shown to the
tribals and many tempting words were spoken. However, most
of the time, a tribal would take home five hens and end up killing
two the same evening to feed his guests and still spend his life
repaying the loan. I feel that this was a misuse of money. Why
should the tribals spend their lives raising hens and cooking
them? If we are determined to provide financial assistance to