Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas: Tribal ministry lines up 300 projects for Nov 1-15 campaign

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs will organise a nationwide Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada from November 1 to 15, culminating in Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas on the birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda, with more than 300 projects, two national digital initiatives and over 160 state-level activities planned across the country.

Birsa Munda Janm Jayanti is celebrated every year on November 15. (Image sourced from RSS website)The fortnight-long campaign will focus on taking government welfare schemes to tribal communities, improving awareness of entitlements and accelerating the implementation of flagship programmes, including the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.

“The objective is to take our flagship programmes to the last mile and ensure that tribal families are aware of, and able to access, the benefits and entitlements meant for them,” a senior ministry official said, adding that the fortnight would combine cultural celebrations with service delivery and community participation.

Of the 300-plus projects planned for inauguration or foundation stone laying, 228 are ready for inauguration and 74 for foundation stone laying. These include a new Tribal Research Institute building in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Ropuiliani Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum at Kelsih in Mizoram.

Two national digital initiatives will be launched during the celebrations. The Jan-HIT (Janjatiya Health Intelligence and Technology) Portal, developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), will provide tribe-disaggregated health data covering 20 states.

The National Forest Rights Act (FRA) Digital Platform will bring the process of forest rights claims, from Gram Sabha submissions to digitally signed titles, onto a single digital system. The official also said the initiatives were intended to improve access to information and strengthen the delivery of public services.

The health portal, in particular, is expected to help policymakers better understand health challenges across tribal communities, while the FRA platform will digitise processes linked to the recognition of forest rights.

“Among the key events, around 200 students from Eklavya Model Residential Schools will interact with President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 12. The government designated November 15 as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas in 2021 to honour Birsa Munda and recognise tribal communities’ contributions to India’s freedom struggle and cultural heritage.

The 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda was observed as Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh in 2024-25, featuring more than two lakh activities and over 3.8 crore participants, according to the ministry. Sanjeev K Jha is a senior journalist with nearly three decades of experience covering a wide range of beats, including bureaucracy, politics, and security issues such as ISI-linked activities in border regions.

His reporting also extends to culture, with work on music and Bollywood. Currently part of the Political Bureau at Hindustan Times, he focuses on smaller allies within both the NDA and the INDIA bloc. His work offers insight into coalition politics and the evolving dynamics of India’s political landscape, backed by years of on-ground reporting and a deep understanding of governance and power structures.Read More