Identity of tribals will be wiped out if their land will be taken away: Hemant Soren

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday said that if the banks will take away the lands of the tribals then their identity will be wiped out therefore work has to be done to keep their identity safe. Addressing a meeting to discuss providing loans to the people hailing from the ST community by the banks he said that the issue of non-providal of loans to the tribals is a problem since the days of undivided Bihar. He said that such an arrangement should be made so that the tribals could move ahead in the area of business and other areas. He said that the tribals have land but despite that they are not able to use the same for their self-reliance.

The Chief Minister said that complaints have been received that the banks are not giving loans to the tribals despite their population being 28 percent. He said that if the SC population is included then their population will be 40 percent therefore a collective effort should be made to take these communities forward together. He suggested that the bank management can think beyond the league and come out with solutions. He pointed that instead of paying attention to the land if whatever construction is being done on the land is kept as collateral then many problems will be solved.

He pointed that limit for collateral-free loans needed to be increased so that the tribals can get easy loans for education, housing, business and industries. He said that if people from these communities will not move forward then how the state will March on the path of development. He asked the bankers to raise these issues in the meetings of their boards and assures full cooperation to them.

He said that there is a need to work with coordination so that all-around development of the community can take place. Those present included Minister Champai Soren, MLA Stephen Marandi, Chief Secretary Sukhdeo Singh and others.