Pledge to provide international platform to tribal identity and culture
Historic closing ceremony of Bastar Pandum 2025 concluded
Bastar will now be known by the voice of development, not guns – Union Home Minister Amit Shah
Raipur 5 April 2025: Bastar Pandum 2025, a symbol of tribal traditions, folk art and cultural splendor, concluded with a grand closing ceremony in Dantewada today. Pledge to provide national and international recognition to Bastar Pandum Union Home Minister Amit Shah in his address announced to celebrate Bastar Pandum as a national festival from next year. He said that artists from tribal districts across the country will be invited to this festival, and the culture of Bastar will be recognized at the global level. Union Home Minister Amit Shah in his address at the Bastar Pandum festival paid obeisance to the tribal deities. He also paid tribute to Maharaja Praveer Chand Bhanjdev and said that he sacrificed his life to protect water, forest, land and culture. The Union Home Minister paid tributes to freedom fighter and social justice icon Babu Jagjivan Ram on his birth anniversary and said that he devoted his life for the rights of the Dalit, backward and tribal communities. Participation of 47000 artists, event continued till 5th April He said that a total of 47000 artists from 1850 Gram Panchayats, 12 Nagar Panchayats, 8 Municipal Councils and one Municipality participated in Bastar Pandum. The festival ran from 12th March to 5th April and was organised in 7 categories this year. Next year it will be expanded to 12 categories.
Call to preserve culture, language and traditions Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the dialects, musical instruments, bhajans and traditions of Bastar are the cultural heritage of not only Chhattisgarh but the whole of India. He said that it is the responsibility of all of us to preserve them. New development plan: Naxal-free villages will get Rs 1 crore The Union Home Minister announced that the villages which cooperate in the surrender of Naxalites will be declared “Naxal-free villages” and will be given a development fund of Rs 1 crore. He appealed to bring the villages forward in the surrender process by holding Gram Sabha. Direct purchase of tendu leaves at Rs 5500, end of middlemen The Union Home Minister said that now the government is directly purchasing tendu leaves at the rate of Rs 5500 per standard sack, and the amount is going directly into the accounts of the tribals. This will end the control of people associated with red terror. Surrendered Naxalites will get rehabilitation The Union Home Minister clarified that the Naxalites who give up their weapons will be brought into the mainstream with full security and respect. But the security forces will take strict action against those who do not lay down their arms.
Arrangement of school, dispensary, Aadhar and ration card in every village The Union Home Minister said that arrangements for small hospitals, schools, Aadhar card, ration card and health insurance will be ensured for education and health in every village. Market available for Bastar products under ‘Vocal for Local’ The Union Home Minister told about the plan to give a global platform to bell metal, terracotta, wood craft, tattoo and painting of Bastar. Under ‘Vocal for Local’, these products will be delivered to markets up to Delhi. Tribal heroes honored at the national level He said that the birth anniversary of Lord Birsa Munda has been declared as Tribal Pride Day. The Union Home Minister said that for the first time in the history of India, the work of giving historical honor to the tribal society has been done in our government by making a tribal woman Mrs. Draupadi Murmu the President. The Union Home Minister said that in 10 years the Modi Government has built more than 4 crore houses, provided gas cylinders to 11 crore people, toilets to 12 crore houses, tap water to 15 crore houses, and free ration and health insurance up to Rs 5 lakh to 70 crore people. Bastar’s new dream: Sub-inspector from Sukma, Collector from Kanker The Union Home Minister said that real development will happen when doctors, collectors, barristers and administrative officers will emerge from Bastar. He called upon the people to take Bastar forward not with weapons but with the power of pen and computer.