Under this national campaign, which will run from August 9 to 30, the Gujarat government will organise a host of events across the state on various themes.
On the occasion of World Tribal Day, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday launched the state-wide ‘Meri Mati Mera Desh’ campaign to honour those bravehearts who had laid their lives for the country, said a release by the state government.
In July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that such a campaign would be launched in the run-up to Independence Day to honour the martyred bravehearts. Patel was in Gunsada village in Songadh taluka of Tapi district to attend the state-level celebrations of The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, or the World Tribal Day, observed on August 9 each year.
Other ministers and dignitaries remained present at district-level events held across the state to launch the campaign, said the release.Under this national campaign, which will run from August 9 to 30, the Gujarat government will organise a host of events across the state on various themes. By August 15, programmes will be held as per these themes in all villages of the state, said the release.
As announced by the PM last month, inscriptions carved on stones, or ‘Shilaphalakam’ will be installed in 11,900 village panchayats of Gujarat in memory of these martyrs. Under this campaign, various other programmes, such as tree plantation, painting, ‘rangoli’ and essay writing competitions on the life and contribution of these national heroes will be held across the state, said the release, adding that special flag marches will also be conducted by the police to honour the martyrs.
Addressing a gathering, CM Patel said it was only PM Modi who did concrete work to empower the tribals of Gujarat as well as the country. As a gift to tribals on World Tribal Day, state Education Minister Kuber Dindor announced a scheme to provide financial assistance to Scheduled Tribe (ST) students who have taken admission based on merit in any course under government quota.
Dindor announced that if the fee amount of such a course is above Rs 6 lakh (after payment of scholarship), the state government will pay the additional fee (above Rs 6 lakh) on behalf of the ST students who have taken admission in that course, said the release.