T’puram: Governor Rajendra Arlekar said that all-round welfare of tribals and integrated development of tribal areas is the need of the hour to achieve the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’. Speaking after inaugurating the All India Denotified and Nomadic Tribal Development Council meeting on Saturday, Arlekar said that the meeting of the denotified and nomadic tribes is a significant and timely initiative, as it provides a platform to discuss the issues faced by these communities. “Tribals cannot be neglected any longer; it is time to introspect what we can do collectively. History teaches us that society becomes weak when divided, and it becomes easier to rule. During the colonial period, divisions were created on the basis of caste, tribe and even religion. This separation weakened our collective strength,” Arlekar said. Arlekar noted that society must remain alert to these historical facts and learn from them. “Though we had opportunities to correct this malaise soon after Independence, we were not fully successful. Of late, there is a greater awareness, which has initiated a process of unification,” he said. Arlekar added that more than 256 tribes were excluded from scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and OBC categories, and were denied their rightful share of benefits for decades. He lauded the efforts of the Council in identifying them and including them in the welfare schemes of the govt. “If we truly seek the development of our nation, we must ensure the uplift of the most marginalized sections. The progress of the country depends on the development of the last person in society,” Arlekar said. He said that the dream of Viksit Bharat can be realized only when all the people get the fruits of development.
