CM Patel said, “Due to the works and sacrifice of Birsa Munda, even today he is worshipped by the tribal community as 'Dharti Aaba' i.e. 'Father of the Earth'" (X/@Bhupendrapbjp)Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Saturday inaugurated 1,240 development projects worth Rs 278 crore to be carried out by the state government in 14 tribal districts of Gujarat.Inaugurating the state-level celebrations as part of the 150th birth anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda at Mandvi taluka in Surat, the CM said: “The state government has fulfilled the Prime Minister’s resolve to make forest brothers world brothers by implementing various schemes in the fields of education, health, employment and economic development.”During the event, the CM also inaugurated 1,282 works worth over Rs 200 crore under various schemes to be implemented by the Tribal Development Department in 14 tribal districts.Along with this, the individual scheme benefits worth Rs 125 crore were distributed to 6,20,846 tribal beneficiaries across the state.Also Read | Differently-abled women celebrate Raksha Bandhan with Gujarat CMOn the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, tribal women tied rakhis to the Chief Minister. On the occasion, CM Patel paid respect to the statue of Birsa Munda. He also took lunch with a tribal family from Mandvi.“PM Narendra Modi has started the system of celebrating November 15 as ‘Tribal Pride Day’ in memory of freedom fighter and tribal leader Birsa Munda from the year 2021. In 2025, his 150th birth anniversary is being celebrated across the country,” the CM said.Saluting Birsa Munda, who fought against the British rule for the independence of the country and the rights of the tribal community, CM Patel said, “Due to the works and sacrifice of Birsa Munda, even today he is worshipped by the tribal community as ‘Dharti Aaba’ i.e. ‘Father of the Earth’ and ‘God’. Birsa Munda had launched an armed rebellion called ‘Ulgulan’ (great movement) against the British rule for the land and forest rights of the tribals and had awakened consciousness, courage and valour among the tribals with the loud slogan of ‘Abua Dishum.. Abua Raj…’ i.e., ‘Our country, our rule’. The struggle of Birsa Munda and the sacrifice made by him at the age of just 25 are a golden page in the history of the great revolutionaries of the tribal communities of India.”Story continues below this adHe said that projects worth Rs 24,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Adivasi Nyay Maha Abhiyan (PM-Janman Yojana) have been implemented. In the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, five crore citizens of the tribal community in 63,000 villages of the country have been covered for social infrastructure facilities.He said that by providing scholarships to 1 crore tribal youths, their path to a bright future has been strengthened.CM Patel said, “The state government has provided scholarships worth Rs 4,300 crore to tribal students. Forest rights papers have been issued for 68,169 hectares of land in the state under the Forest Rights Act. The state government has provided scheme benefits to 4,265 villages in 102 talukas of 21 districts under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.”Minister of State for Tribal Development Kunwarjibhai Halpati said that the Prime Minister implemented the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana for the development of the tribal community during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, as a result of which the overall development of the tribals has become possible.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Bhupendra PatelBirsa Munda