NT Reporter
Margao
Tribal Welfare Minister Ramesh Tawadkar on Wednesday said the Tribal Welfare Department would incorporate the views and suggestions of experts and resource persons while preparing the Goa Tribal Vision Document 2037.
He made the statement after a one-day conference on the Goa Tribal Vision Document 2037 organised by the Directorate of Tribal Welfare at Utorda.
“The present administrative and political approach to tribal welfare needs structural reforms, including those related to land rights and educational equity,” said resource person Prof Reena Cheruvalath, head of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at BITS Pilani, Goa, and scientist and researcher Amol Deshmukh.
Cheruvalath suggeted inclusive policy design through mandatory public consultations and culturally contextualised welfare schemes. “Priority should be given to land rights and livelihood security by securing land ownership aligned with traditional occupations while preventing administrative dilution of statutory rights,” she said.
Deshmukh said there is a need for a fairer legal system and broader educational access. He also suggested studying and tracking crime data relating to tribal communities and urged the government to strengthen tribal research institutes, link them with international events, and use local languages and dialects in the vision document. “Achieving financial stability within the ST community requires a pragmatic and actionable roadmap,” Tawadkar said.
Speaker Ganesh Gaonkar said delegates should discuss key priorities for a comprehensive vision document aimed at making Adivasi communities self-reliant. “Core issues included land and forest rights, tenancy cases, financial accountability, political reservation in the Assembly, economic empowerment, and preservation of ST culture and identity,” he said.
Priol MLA Govind Gaude said gifted members of the community should commit themselves to public service. He said the community’s progress required a unified vision and
direction.
