<p>Nearly 1.5 crore tribals, who account for nearly 20% of the Madhya Pradesh population, will be rid of usury. Their land and ornaments pawned with moneylenders will be returned to them.</p>.<p>Making this major announcement to mark the world tribal day in his home town Chhindwara, Chief Minister Kamal Nath said the process of loan waiver for tribals will be set in motion from August 15 in the state’s 89 scheduled tribal blocks. The government will provide Rupay debit cards to debt-ridden tribals to enable them to repay the debt to moneylenders. </p>.<p>The chief minister also announced to rechristen the scheduled tribe welfare department as Adivasi development department.</p>.<p>Speaking at a function, Kamal Nath said, “The money lenders would be made to return all the ornaments, land documents and other items pledged by them for loans.”</p>.<p>Kamal Nath also said that nobody will be allowed to disburse loans in tribal areas without a licence.</p>.<p>The Congress government also announced to provide debit cards to tribals, with which they can withdraw up to Rs 10,000 from ATMs.</p>.<p>A museum and a memorial in the memory of tribal personalities will be established in Jabalpur.</p>.<p>Kamal Nath government after assuming office had waived off farm loans up to Rs 2 lakhs in 2018.</p>.<p>The announcement to waive off loans of tribals is seen as a way to ensure tribal votes for Congress in the future. Congress which was out of power for 15 years, had made sizable gains in tribal pockets in the 2018 Assembly polls in the state.</p>.<p>The state government has also decided to start a campaign for restoring the land to tribals under the Forest Rights act. The cases, in which tribals’ rights to forest land were rejected, will be re-examined and eligible applicants will be given lease on forest land.<br /> </p>
<p>Nearly 1.5 crore tribals, who account for nearly 20% of the Madhya Pradesh population, will be rid of usury. Their land and ornaments pawned with moneylenders will be returned to them.</p>.<p>Making this major announcement to mark the world tribal day in his home town Chhindwara, Chief Minister Kamal Nath said the process of loan waiver for tribals will be set in motion from August 15 in the state’s 89 scheduled tribal blocks. The government will provide Rupay debit cards to debt-ridden tribals to enable them to repay the debt to moneylenders. </p>.<p>The chief minister also announced to rechristen the scheduled tribe welfare department as Adivasi development department.</p>.<p>Speaking at a function, Kamal Nath said, “The money lenders would be made to return all the ornaments, land documents and other items pledged by them for loans.”</p>.<p>Kamal Nath also said that nobody will be allowed to disburse loans in tribal areas without a licence.</p>.<p>The Congress government also announced to provide debit cards to tribals, with which they can withdraw up to Rs 10,000 from ATMs.</p>.<p>A museum and a memorial in the memory of tribal personalities will be established in Jabalpur.</p>.<p>Kamal Nath government after assuming office had waived off farm loans up to Rs 2 lakhs in 2018.</p>.<p>The announcement to waive off loans of tribals is seen as a way to ensure tribal votes for Congress in the future. Congress which was out of power for 15 years, had made sizable gains in tribal pockets in the 2018 Assembly polls in the state.</p>.<p>The state government has also decided to start a campaign for restoring the land to tribals under the Forest Rights act. The cases, in which tribals’ rights to forest land were rejected, will be re-examined and eligible applicants will be given lease on forest land.<br /> </p>
