SAMBA, NOVEMBER 5, 2026: Minister for Tribal Affairs, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and Transport, Javed Ahmed Rana, today announced the construction of a Girls’ Hostel at Samba at an estimated cost of ₹7 crore, aimed at strengthening the educational infrastructure and providing better accommodation facilities to tribal girl students.
The announcement was made during an extensive interaction with the members of tribal communities held at Samba as part of the ongoing Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada, being observed across Jammu and Kashmir from November 1 to 15.
During the interaction, the Minister heard various demands and grievances concerning housing, education, scholarships, healthcare, road connectivity, drinking water, electricity and livelihood opportunities. He directed the concerned officers to examine the issues raised and ensure their resolution in a time-bound manner.
Addressing the gathering, Rana said that Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada is not merely an occasion to celebrate the rich heritage and contributions of tribal communities but also an opportunity to strengthen the delivery of welfare and development schemes at the grassroots level. He emphasised that the Government is committed to ensure that the benefits of development reach every eligible tribal household, particularly those living in remote, inaccessible and underserved areas.
In a significant direction, the Minister asked the sectoral departments to ensure adequate and proportionate allocation of development funds for tribal communities under the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP), in accordance with the applicable guidelines of NITI Aayog and the Ministry for Tribal Affairs.
He stressed that allocations for tribal welfare must be commensurate with the tribal population and their developmental requirements. The funds earmarked for this purpose should be utilised effectively to address the existing gaps in infrastructure, education, healthcare and livelihood opportunities, he added.
Rana observed that tribal development is a collective responsibility of the entire administration and cannot be left to the Tribal Affairs Department alone. He called for stronger convergence among Rural Development, Education, Health, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Social Welfare, Skill Development and other departments to ensure coordinated and meaningful development of tribal communities.
The Minister directed the district administration to undertake focused outreach during Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada through special camps in tribal habitations to identify the eligible families who have not been covered yet under various welfare schemes. He asked the Deputy Commissioner, Samba to ensure maximum coverage of eligible tribal households under housing, scholarships, health, social security, skill development, employment and livelihood schemes.
The Minister made it clear that the success of Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada should be reflected in actual benefits delivered to tribal families rather than merely in the number of programmes organised.
He emphasised the need to identify development gaps in tribal habitations and incorporate their requirements into departmental plans so that tribal communities receive their due share in overall development process.
Rana urged the officers to maintain regular engagement with the tribal representatives and ensure that genuine grievances are addressed promptly.
Later, the Minister inspected the FCI Godown at Jatwal, Samba, where he reviewed the availability of food grains, storage conditions, quality control arrangements and the functioning of the Public Distribution System. He directed the concerned officers to ensure adequate availability of food grains, proper storage, regular supply and timely distribution of ration to beneficiaries without any inconvenience.
MLA Surjeet Singh Salathia, Deputy Commissioner Samba, senior officers of Tribal Affairs, FCS&CA, Rural Development and other sectoral departments besides representatives of tribal communities were present on the occasion.
