Will celebrate Ram temple consecration ceremony with farmers: Munda

Jamshedpur: Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda on Saturday said he will celebrate the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22 with farmers.

Speaking to PTI, Munda also urged people to avoid visiting the site during the ceremony because of the expected rush, and rather celebrate its cultural and religious heritage in their homes.

"During that time, I will be also in some villages and celebrate the occasion with farmers. Farmers are 'annadatas', and among them reside Goddess Laxmi and Lord Narayan," he said.

He said the Rs 24,000-crore project launched by PM Narendra Modi on tribal icon Birsa Munda's birth anniversary will deliver justice to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), who have been deprived of basic amenities.

"The objective of the project was to reach out to about 26 lakh such people living in the backward areas. We have identified 75 such groups in over a dozen states and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar, and decided to provide them with basic amenities, including healthcare and education, under various schemes of the government," the minister said.

"The scheme will also ensure that they are linked to employment opportunities," he said.