As much as 76 per cent of the budgetary allocations to the Tribal Welfare Ministry—Rs.1,200 crore out of Rs.1,550 crore was being spent on education of tribal children and the latter should utilise the opportunity to reach higher academic levels, Minister for Tribal Welfare P. Balaraju said in Vijayawada on Monday.
Addressing nearly 1,500 tribal students at ‘Giri Pratibha’, a career guidance counselling programme, he said in the past, lack of education among STs resulted in backlog of job vacancies.
But it was now different and there was competition among STs and only the meritorious among them were getting opportunities, he pointed out while urging them to study well for prospective careers.
The career guidance programme would be extended to other districts in future, he said.
District Collector V. Seshadri reminded the students that they were in crucial phase and benefit from counselling session. There were no short cuts to success, he said, adding that perseverance would pay and make them good citizens who help in nation building.
Vice-Chairman of Viskahapatnam Urban Development Authority K. Sasidhar noted that jobs in government sector decreased while they were aplenty in private sector. There were plans to build a hostel jointly by GVMC and VUDA in the city for ST students, he disclosed.
Rector of Andhra University Prasada Reddy said Andhra University was likely to start a Post Graduate Centre in Paderu shortly.
Poverty was redefined and only those without any goal are considered poor and promised the students that all the 650 teachers of Andhra University would be ready to help them out in studies.
Araku MLA Siveri Soma and noted writer Yandamoori Veerendranath spoke and ITDA PO Srikant proposed a vote of thanks.
