13th Tribal Youth Exchange Programme kicks off in Dehradun

Tribal youth from six states reached Dehradun on Monday on the occasion of the 13th Tribal Youth Exchange Program.

Dehradun: Tribal youth from six states reached Dehradun on Monday on the occasion of the 13th Tribal Youth Exchange Programme. The seven-day-long programme will feature various events about the state during which the youth will visit sites such as the Forest Research Institute (FRI Dehradun), Survey of India, and Tehri Lake in Dehradun. The youth are from Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar.

The inauguration ceremony, held in IRTD Auditorium in the city's Survey Chowk area, was kickstarted by Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal. Speaking at the occasion, the minister highlighted the programme as a 'lifeline' for the youth, who often come from areas affected by uprisings and unrest. "There interactions are organized for tribal children so that they gain both exposure and confidence. There are also residents of places that are affected by Naxalite activities, and we want them to go back and send the message that Naxalite ideology never helps anyone. Instead, it hinders progress," Uniyal said. The Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, organized this event.

According to the 2011 census, Scheduled Tribes represent 8.6 percent of the country's total population, which is 10.42 million of the country's population. The tribes are classified on the basis of their diverse cultures, remoteness from contact with widely spread other communities, and their economic backwardness.