Nashik has received administrative approval for a Rs 4 crore Birsa Munda memorial near Ozarkhed Dam in Dindori taluka, with a 21-foot statue and allied infrastructure planned across a five-acre site. The project was announced by Maharashtra guardian minister Girish Mahajan alongside details of a weeklong district programme for tribal communities.
The memorial is intended to promote tourism and support local economic growth around Ozarkhed Dam, according to Mahajan. The announcement comes ahead of the 151st birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, observed as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas.
Mahajan said Birsa Munda’s resistance to British rule and his advocacy of the rights associated with water, forests and land continued to hold relevance. He said the government’s priorities included tribal development, protection of rights, implementation of welfare schemes and preservation of tribal identity.
The Janjatiya Gaurav Divas Seva Saptah will include district- and taluka-level awareness campaigns, beneficiary meetings, health camps, document facilitation camps, cultural programmes and sports competitions. The tribal development department will also distribute cheques to beneficiaries under the nucleus budget scheme, the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan and the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan.
The programme will begin with a deepotsav on November 14 showcasing tribal culture and traditions. The main Janjatiya Gaurav Divas celebrations are scheduled for November 15 and will include cultural performances and the felicitation of social workers. Women’s self-help groups will provide guidance on agriculture-linked enterprises and self-employment during the week.
A service camp on November 16 will help tribal residents with Aadhaar updates and documentation for government schemes. Health camps scheduled for November 17 will focus on medical screenings, maternal and child health, nutrition and awareness about sickle cell anaemia.
The programme will conclude on November 18 with sessions on tribal economic, educational and social empowerment. The sessions will cover skill development, employment, scholarships, vocational training, agriculture schemes and digital financial literacy.
The memorial and programme are being presented as part of a broader effort to connect public commemorations with tribal welfare delivery. The supplied announcement did not specify the construction timeline, implementing agency, tender process or planned completion date for the memorial.
