Team Herald
PANJIM: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is all set to transform the face of Goa. Keeping this in mind, AAP National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Goa’s past governments inflicted injustice upon the ST community, but the AAP government will ensure their welfare.
“We are announcing an 8-point agenda as a guarantee in the interests of the ST community. So far out of Rs 2,400 crore, only Rs 200 to Rs 300 was spent on the tribals, contributing to the poor infrastructure in tribal areas. We make sure that all the money allocated for the ST community under the tribal sub-plan is spent for their welfare. The AAP government will ensure that the 3,000 vacant posts for ST community in government offices are filled, arrange private jobs for the remaining and give unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000 until jobs are secured. Land ownership will be ensured by implementing the Forest Rights Act, which had not been enforced so far,” said Kejriwal.
He claimed that Aam Aadmi Party’s government will ‘fulfill the 12.5% reservation in the Legislature’, which was overlooked by past governments. “Free healthcare and education will be provided to the people of the ST community, better schools and hospitals will be built. Every woman aged 18 and above will receive Rs 1,000 on a monthly basis. All these 8 points from the agenda will be implemented when the Aam Aadmi Party forms government in Goa and hence lead the State to great heights of prosperity and development,” said Kejriwal.
Kejriwal said, “A large number of people living in the state of Goa belong to the ST community. Despite this, all parties which have formed Goa’s state government since its conception have only inflicted injustice upon them. According to the constitutional law, there are provisions for the upliftment of the ST community by means of welfare schemes. However, Goa’s past governments have gone against our constitution and broken the law by keeping this community on the back foot.”
He emphasised, “the Forest Rights Act, which gives the right to ownership of land to ST people has not yet been implemented. We will immediately effectuate this act and ensure that the tribal communities will get their rights over their respective lands. Four, there is a 12.5% reservation for the ST community in the Legislative Assembly, which again has not translated into practice.
