Minister for Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana today attended a Tribal Conference in Anantnag, where he addressed a diverse audience comprising legislators, tribal leaders, intellectuals, community representatives and members of civil society.
Legislators Bashir Ahmad Veeri, Altaf Kaloo, Zafar Ali Khatana, Abdul Majeed Bhat and Reyaz Ahmad Khan also attended the conference.
In his keynote address, the Minister reiterated the critical need for de-centralised and participative planning as the foundation for inclusive and sustainable development in tribal areas.
He stated that empowering communities at the grassroots level, particularly through the involvement of local legislators, is essential to ensuring that government initiatives are both responsive and effective.
“The path to meaningful development lies in understanding local realities. When planning is de-centralised and participative, it leads to solutions that are grounded, inclusive, and truly transformative,” he said. “A collaborative, de-centralised approach—rooted in equity and inclusion—is the way forward to ensure that no community is left behind.”
The Minister outlined the core priorities of the Department of Tribal Affairs, which include strengthening healthcare, improving educational access, enhancing rural and digital connectivity, promoting skill development and revitalising traditional livelihoods.
He announced that multiple programs are currently being formulated to bridge service delivery gaps, particularly in remote tribal regions.
Rana gave special emphasis to the conferring of forest rights through Forest Rights Committees (FRCs), calling it a key instrument of legal and economic empowerment for tribal communities.
During the conference organised by a prominent media house in Anantnag, the minister highlighting the importance of cultural preservation, Minister Rana stressed that the government is committed to protecting tribal languages, customs, and heritage through the Tribal Research Institute (TRI), which is playing a pivotal role in documentation, research, and cultural programming across tribal regions.
The Minister also spoke at length about the government's plans to promote livelihood generation through traditional tribal occupations such as milk and meat production and wool processing—sectors that not only offer sustainable economic avenues but also help preserve tribal identity.
Reaffirming the government's vision, Rana stated that empowering tribal communities is not just a policy objective but a foundational commitment of the present dispensation and encouraged tribal youth to take up creative entrepreneurship.
No: PR/DI/25/1566/
