Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs visits Bodam, encourages honey collectors

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Jamshedpur:  Brijnandan Prasad, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, visited Bodam and Jamshedpur Sadar blocks as part of an outreach initiative under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN). The visit aimed to assess the progress of tribal empowerment programs and to directly engage with beneficiaries of key government schemes.

In Khokharo village of Bodam block, the Joint Secretary inspected the Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVK), which has been established to enhance livelihoods through honey collection and processing. He interacted with members of the Sabar community working at the center and shared valuable inputs on modern techniques of honey collection, beekeeping, processing, and branding.

To support their work,  Prasad distributed necessary tools and equipment for honey collection to the Sabar families and encouraged them to continue their efforts with renewed confidence. He also emphasized the importance of better marketing strategies and strong market linkages to ensure fair returns for tribal produce.

Accompanying him were ITDA Project Director Dipankar Chaudhary, District Welfare Officer Shankaracharya Samad, Block Development Officer Kiku Mahato, and District Program Manager of JSLPS Sujit Bari.

Later, the Joint Secretary visited Jagannathpur village of Devghar Panchayat in Jamshedpur Sadar block, where he held a direct dialogue with beneficiaries of the Awas Yojana. He inquired whether the villagers were receiving the intended benefits of housing and other welfare schemes and addressed their concerns.

 Prasad also informed the residents about the upcoming Dharti Aaba Jan Bhagidari Abhiyan, to be held from 15 to 30 June, during which government camps will be organized in tribal-dominated areas to ensure last-mile delivery of welfare schemes. He urged villagers to participate actively and encourage others to join the initiative.

The visit was marked by enthusiastic participation from the community and reinforced the government’s commitment to tribal welfare and grassroots engagement.