Nearly 90 percent of tribals miss college education: BJP

RAIPUR - Up to 90 percent of students belonging to the tribal communities of the country never make it to college, a resolution passed by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) tribal cell said here Thursday.

A three-day convention of the party’s tribal cell began Tuesday in the state capital of the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh.

The resolution claimed that of an estimated tribal population of 10.45 crore, 45 percent still live below the poverty line.

“About 96 lakh tribal families were displaced in the country in the post-Independence period due to government’s bigger development projects,” the statement said.

Just 29 lakh families were rehabilitated by successive governments, while the remaining were driven away after being paid a nominal amount, it added.

The resolution also expressed anguish over lack of basic facilities even after 63 years of independence.

“The tribals have not been provided water, road, medicine, electricity and houses,” it said.

The resolution, passed unanimously, also said that a total of 698 tribes exist in India, of which 75 have been recognised as the most backward.