Income of tribal families will be doubled within 5 years: Modi

Ahmedabad, Mar 11 (UNI) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today stressed his government would ensure that income of tribal families in the state get doubled within the next five years.

The government has earmarked Rs 15,000 crore for the welfare of the tribals, he said while addressing a convention of tribals here today.

The programmes, initiated by his government, will surely change the lives of the tribals for the better, he stressed.

Mr Modi alleged that previous governments, during the last 41 years, had failed to improve the lives of the tribals in the state.

However, during the last five years, the state had expended Rs 6,000 crore for the welfare of the tribals, he claimed.

Citing the measures initiated by his government, Mr Modi said that the tribals will receive direct payment for the forest wood, thereby eliminitating their exploitation by middle-men.

The state government will be employing the services of private medical practitioners under the ''Chiranjivee Scheme'' to provide proper care to tribal women and their children, he said while informing that the tribal woman, at the time of delivery, would be paid Rs 200.

As the state prepares to celebrate the golden jubilee of its foundation in 2010, Mr Modi said the government has resolved that no girl child in Gujarat would remain uneducated.

UNI