Tamil Nadu Governor, R N Ravi flagged off the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra at the Forestry Higher Secondary School in Kovilur near Jawadhu Hills in Tiruvannamalai. This yatra is part of the union government’s initiative to get programmes to the people who really need them. There have been many central government schemes that have been rolled out and the yatra would take these programmes to the remote tribal villages so people there can benefit.
The Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, a national outreach program, emphasizes creating awareness about various welfare schemes, including sanitation, financial services, electricity, LPG connections, housing, food security, healthcare and clean water. This country-wide initiative, launched by PM Modi on November 15, will endeavour to cover 2.7 lakh gram panchayats, and around 15,000 urban locations by January 25, 2024. In Tamil Nadu, the yatra has been launched in three places now – Tiruvannamalai, Nilgiris and Salem.
It is in Tiruvannamalai, Nilgiris and Salem that the tribal population in that state is very high. There are around 10 crore people in this region which is about 8% of the state’s population. In Tiruvannamalai, the van will cover 103 villages till December 15, including 11 villages in Jawadhu Hills. The van will cover at least two villages a day.
Speaking on the occasion, Governor Ravi said, “Our goal is to bridge the gap and ensure that every citizen, especially the tribal population, get benefits of progress. Our nation has made significant strides, positioning itself as a global player in the last decade.” He also emphasized that the central government was committed to the welfare of its citizens.