Bhopal, April 15 (IANS). Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday directed officials to create a positive environment of academic dedication and patriotism in hostels and residential ashrams run by the state’s Tribal Affairs Department.
Chairing a review meeting at the State Secretariat, the Chief Minister stressed that these institutions should not only provide basic facilities but also promote discipline, cultural values and a sense of national pride among the students.
Yadav said, “A positive environment of academic dedication and patriotism should be created in hostels and ashrams. These institutions play an important role in shaping the future of tribal students.”
He also suggested involving social and voluntary organizations like Jan Abhiyan Parishad and Gayatri Parivar in their management and monitoring to improve the overall functioning of these hostels and ashrams.
The Chief Minister stressed the need to maintain high standards of cooking, cleanliness and safety in these facilities.
He further said, “Special attention should be paid to cooking, sanitation and safety arrangements. Appropriate training and monitoring systems should be developed to ensure sensitive and effective management.”
According to official figures, around 3,000 ashrams and hostels are currently run by the Tribal Affairs Department across Madhya Pradesh.
In addition, about 2,000 such institutions are run by the Scheduled Caste Development Department, which cater to the needs of students from disadvantaged communities.
The hostels, run by the Tribal Welfare and Scheduled Caste Welfare Department of Madhya Pradesh, provide free residential facilities to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Class students from primary to college level; Which includes accommodation, food, electricity, water, bedding and furniture.
These include pre-matric, post-matric and college hostels. These facilities also provide libraries, academic support, sports infrastructure and an orderly environment to ensure safe, inclusive and holistic academic development, especially for students coming from remote and disadvantaged backgrounds.
Chief Secretary Anurag Jain, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Neeraj Mandloi and Principal Secretary of Tribal Affairs Department Gulshan Bamra and other senior officials were also present in the meeting.
The main objective of the review meeting was to improve the infrastructure, strengthen the management processes and ensure that hostels and ashrams become safe and prosperous places for the holistic development of students.
–IANS
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