Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday unveiled projects worth over Rs 83,700 crore in Jharkhand, reaffirming his government’s commitment to the development of tribal in state.

The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of tribal development, stating that Mahatma Gandhi’s vision for this demographic is “our asset.” He launched the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, which will be implemented at a cost of Rs 79,150 crore, aimed at ensuring comprehensive and holistic development for tribal communities across the country.

Addressing the gathering in Hazaribagh, PM Modi said: “Today is the birth anniversary of revered Mahatma Gandhi. His vision, his ideas for tribal development are our capital. Gandhiji believed that India can develop only when there is rapid development of tribal society. I am satisfied that today our government is paying maximum attention to tribal upliftment.”

PM Modi said that more than five crore tribal brothers and sisters of the country will get benefit under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan. “The tribal society of Jharkhand will also get a huge benefit from this. I am happy that Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan is being started from the land of Lord Birsa Munda,” he added.

On the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, the PM-Janman Yojana was also launched here in Jharkhand, Modi said.

“Next month on November 15, on Tribal Pride Day, we will celebrate the first anniversary of PM-Janman Yojana. Through this scheme, development is reaching even those tribal areas of the country that were left behind. Today, under the PM-Janman Yojana, the foundation stone for development works worth about Rs. 1,350 crores was laid here,” he said.

“Gandhi believed that India can develop only when there is rapid development of tribal society,” PM Modi said. He pointed out that his government is paying maximum attention to tribal upliftment now.

Under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, around 5 crore tribals will get benefits in 549 districts across 30 states and Union Territories. The scheme aims to address critical gaps in social infrastructure, health, education, and livelihood through 25 interventions carried out by 17 central Ministries and departments.

PM Modi also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for multiple projects under the PM Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), valued at over ₹1,360 crore.

These include the construction of more than 1,380 km of roads, 120 Anganwadi centres , 250 multi-purpose centres, and 10 school hostels.

The Delhi Police on Wednesday seized more than 560 Kg of cocaine worth nearly Rs 2000 crore, in one of the biggest drug bust in the national capital. The police said that the drugs were found in South Delhi and four people have been arrested in the case.

The officials suspect that this is an international drug syndicate that was being run by Afghan nationals in New Delhi. This follows days after two other Afghan nationals were arrested for allegedly running a syndicate. They were caught during a raid on Saturday in Tilak Nagar. The police recovered 400 grams of heroin and 160 grams of cocaine from the possession of the two accused namely Hashimi Mohammad Waris and Abdul Nayib.

Hashimi Mohammad Waris has been living in India on refugee status since January 2020. His family is in Afghanistan. After arriving in India, Waris worked in a chemist shop as a helper in Vikaspuri. Later, he entered into the drugs business when his friend contacted him and asked him to collect the consignments from different people in Delhi and NCR. The police said that he would further deliver them to the receivers, and used to get $100 for each delivery.

Police officials stated that Abdul Nayib is also an Afghan national and he came to India in January 2020 along with his father. He is a registered refugee, and his whole family except his father lives in Afghanistan. Abdul Nayib met Hashimi Mohammad Waris in a chemist’s shop in Vikaspuri. Police asserted that Waris lured Nayib into the drug business on the pretext of a lavish lifestyle.

Earlier in this year, the special cell of Delhi Police caught four men who were carrying drugs from violence-hit areas Manipur and four other states to Delhi and selling them to clubs in south Delhi. Police stated that the accused used Kia Seltos and Mahindra Thar as their means to smuggle fine quality opium and heroin which is worth crores. 

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and 150 other protestors from Ladakh who are under detention on Wednesday continued their indefinite fast, saying they find their rights trampled upon on Gandhi Jayanti, a day that symbolizes peace and democracy.

The climate activist was leading ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra’, which began from Leh a month ago. They were detained on Monday night.

Jigmat Paljor, Coordinator Apex Body, said their detention, which is continuing for over 24 hours, is illegal.

“We, the ‘padyatris’, find ourselves in an alarming situation. We have been detained for over 24 hours. This detention is illegal, as the 24-hour period has elapsed, and we must be produced before a magistrate,” Paljor said in a statement released on Wednesday morning.

He added that some groups have been released after just under 24 hours, only to be returned to the police station. “Last night, the police attempted to forcibly relocate us to an unknown location, but we stood our ground in resistance,” he said.

He further said that their phones were confiscated at the Bawana Police Station, leaving them cut off from the outside world. Delhi Police, however, said that the ‘padyatris’ were released last night and detained again.

A senior police officer told PTI that Wangchuk and other detained Ladakhis were allowed to go on Tuesday night but they were adamant to march towards the central part of Delhi, therefore, they were detained again.

The “padyatris” started their journey from Leh on September 1 and marched all the way, except when they entered poll-bound Haryana, where they boarded buses. They were detained at Delhi’s Singhu border on Monday night and taken to different police stations, where they began an indefinite fast.

“All the ‘padyatris’ have been on ‘anshan’ for 36 hours. Today, October 2nd, on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we had planned to visit Gandhi Samadhi to pay our respects. Instead, we find our rights trampled upon on a day that symbolizes peace and democracy,” Paljor said.

“This situation raises serious concerns about the state of our democracy. We call upon everyone to stand in solidarity with us during this critical time,” he added.

The march was organised by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which have been leading an agitation for the past four years to demand statehood for Ladakh, its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, an early recruitment process, the establishment of a Public Service Commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.

Wangchuk has been held at the Bawana police station along with a few others, while others have been detained at Narela Industrial Area, Alipur, and Kanjhawala police stations, he added.