MP to expand education facilities for tribal students over 3 years: Minister

NEW DELHI: The Madhya Pradesh government will expand education facilities for tribal students over the next three years to ensure equal access to quality education, state Tribal Affairs Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah said on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference on two years of departmental achievements, Shah said infrastructure, smart classrooms, laboratories and library facilities would be upgraded to ensure "equal access to quality education" over the next three years.

Sandipani schools, Eklavya schools, Mata Shabri girls' education complexes and boys' model residential schools would be established in each tribal development block, he said. Tribal religious and worship sites would be upgraded, and art centres would be set up in 86 tribal development blocks to promote social and cultural activities of the tribal community, according to him.

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GI process for tribal arts

Shah said Gond painting of Dindori district has received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, while the process is underway for GI tagging of seven other products - Bhil tribe's Gulshan mala and Bolni, Pithora painting style, Jhabua tribal dolls, and musical instruments Bana Chikara and wooden mask craft of the Gond tribe.

Cafeterias are being constructed at Pachmarhi, Mandu, Kanha-Kisli, Pench and Bandhavgarh on the lines of the tribal women cafeteria operating at Kevadia in Gujarat. These facilities will be run by women from tribal self-help groups, providing them livelihood opportunities while helping preserve tribal culture.