Tribal University will uplift living standard : Pranab

Bhopal: President Shri Pranab Mukherjee has said that setup of Indira Gandhi Tribal University will uplift living standard of tribal people. The president was addressing the first convocation of Indira Gandhi Tribal University at Amarkantak in Anuppur district today. Shri Mukherjee also gave away gold medals to 33 meritorious students.

President Shri Pranab Mukherjee said that education is the most and only medium for uplifting tribal people’s living standard. It will hasten their socio-economic development. He said that living standard of forest dweller tribes in India is very low and needs special efforts for improvement. It has come to knowledge through survey and researches that there is lack of basic amenities for tribals. The Union Government is making special efforts for these shortcomings.
The President stressed the need for work speedily for infrastructure development apart from improving quality of higher education. He stressed the need for improving living standard of tribal people through Indira Gandhi Tribal University. He said that the country will develop in real terms only when socio-economic conditions of these people are improved.
Congratulating students having received degrees at the convocation, Governor Shri Ram Naresh Yadav said that this university will bring about basic changes in socio-economic conditions of tribal people.
Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that narrow-mindedness has no place in democracy. He paid tributes to late Smt. Indira Gandhi and late Shri Arjun Singh for playing significant role in setting up of this university. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that contribution of tribal people has been important in the history of country’s freedom movement. These included tribal heroes like Rani Durgawati, Tantya Bhil and Bheema Naik.
Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly Shri Ajay Singh, Labour Minister Shri Jagannath Singh, former Union Minister Shri Suresh Pachouri, Indira Gandhi Tribal University chancellor Dr. S. M. Jharwal, vice-chancellor Shri C.D. Singh, public representatives, officers and professors were present on the occasion.