President of India Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday stressed on the importance of education in changing the condition of tribals and backward classes.
In her first visit to Maharashtra after assuming the top constitutional office in July last year, Ms. Murmu said that education played a vital role in the development of any society, particularly in transforming the condition of tribals and backward classes.
She was addressing the 10th convocation of the Gondwana University (GU) in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district. Also present were Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.
Congratulating all degree holders, President Murmu reserved special praise for the female students and lauded their achievements. Women students comprise nearly half of the total students of the varsity.
She appreciated GU for providing education to tribals in the district and starting various skill-based courses.
“The education given here is preparing students to make important contributions to the economy. The university is to be lauded for creating an educational ecosystem, giving encouragement to multidisciplinary research and emphasising a sustainable livelihood,” Ms. Murmu said.
The President further said she interacted with people belonging to tribal communities from time to time during which she became aware that they wanted good education for their children.
President Droupadi Murmu being received by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on her arrival in Nagpur, on July 4. Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais and State Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are also seen. | Photo Credit: ANI
Pitching for Gadchiroli to become one of the progressive districts in the country, she appealed to tribals and backward classes not to depend too much on the government, saying they, too, must have a passion to move ahead in life.
“We can learn a lot from the tribal community, how they live in love with the environment, their art of living is wonderful. While we should work towards their overall development, the Adivasis, too, must make efforts to move ahead in life, working shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone,” she said, lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts towards development of aspirational districts, including many tribal-dominated ones.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Fadnavis said that an investment of ₹20,000 crore would be made to boost the steel industry in Gadchiroli district. The district has been known as a Maoist hotbed.
Mr. Fadnavis pitched for more skill-based courses in GU as per the industry requirements.
“We will provide sufficient funds to the Gondwana University to make it one of the important varsities in Maharashtra,” he said.
He further announced that the government was planning to start work on an airport in Gadchiroli.
Stating that Gadchiroli is one of the aspirational districts in the country, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari laid emphasis on development of infrastructure in the district and promised that the district would get a road connectively network worth ₹10,000 crore by 2024.
