Tribal youth become Vikasdoots – Times of India

PUNE: Lloyds Metal & Energy in association with Trisharan Enlightenment Foundation groomed 40 tribal youth from Etapalli, Gadchiroli district as Vikasdoot (development ambassadors). The training workshop was arranged at Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi, Pune from April 21 to 30. Journalist Arun Khore inaugurated the workshop. On the occasion of the valedictory of the workshop, Veteran Literary & Critic Dr. Shripal Sabnis enlightened & felicitated the participants. Former Addl. Chief Secretary Mr. Ujjwal Uke, Senior General Manager, Lloyds Metals & Energy L. Saikumar, Trisharan Enlightenment Foundation’s Founder Pradnya Waghmare, and State Coordinator Prashant Waghmare were present.
These youth from 21 villages of Etapalli Tehsil have been trained as Vikasdoot. Under these 10 days of training, they have learned about personality development, etiquette, public behaviour, use of technology, etc. They were shown the Balewadi Sports Complex, Pune Metro, Office and Museum of Tribal Research & Training Institute, Newspaper Offices, and Printing Press.
Tribal communities living in remote forest areas need to be provided with good infrastructure such as roads, electricity, water, etc. They should be given an opportunity to come into the flow of development by providing education and health facilities, said Ujjwal Uke IAS (Retd).
The youth should take education and become enablers of the development of the tribals, appealed Dr. Shripal Sabnis.
Mr. L Saikumar said that Lloyd’s Managing Director B. Prabhakaran believes that Gadchiroli has iron ore as well as diamonds in the form of people. If these diamonds are polished a little, they will also shine like others. To keep this thought in mind, he has come up with the concept of outreach centres, through which the government schemes and CSR schemes of Lloyds will reach the villages. We are also going to set up a CBSE school & health centre in the Etapalli area very soon, he said.
Pradnya Waghmare said, “I feel very happy that Trisharan Enlightenment Foundation got an opportunity to associate with Lloyds Metal & Energy Ltd. to groom these 40 youth from Etapalli. These youth have the determination to do a lot. If they have a dream, they work with dedication to achieve it. We tried to show them these dreams. Through this training, we have actually started breaking down the invisible wall between the tribals of the interiors and the so-called mainstream. The outreach centres will prove to be a bridge to connect the rural with the urban.”