Mumbai, 21 February (HS): A nationwide long-term partnership aimed at inclusive growth and empowerment of tribal communities has been formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram.

The agreement was signed under the leadership of Yogesh Shridhar Bapat, General Secretary of the organisation, along with Digant Sharma (President, Undertrial Welfare Association), Pratyush Sharma (President, Saubhagya Yog Sadhana Foundation), CA Mahendra Turakhia (Bharat Taxpayers Welfare Platform Foundation) and Vishwas Jadhav (Vice President, Torus Social Foundation).

The MoU presents a national framework for structured, transparent and impact-based tribal development programmes across 52,000 villages. The initiative has been designed as a 15-year collaborative mission to bring measurable and institutional change in tribal and rural areas.

Under the implementation structure, Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram will function as the primary execution agency through its grassroots network at state and district levels. Partner organisations will mobilise CSR and institutional funding, prepare project reports, ensure monitoring and compliance, and conduct impact assessments and national expansion planning.

The programme will cover residential education and hostels for tribal students, education and skill development, healthcare through mobile medical units, medical camps and telemedicine, rural infrastructure and water projects, livelihood initiatives, legal empowerment, cultural preservation and nationwide awareness campaigns.

A multi-tier governance mechanism has been planned, including a national steering committee, joint working groups, state-level committees and periodic reviews to ensure accountability and measurable outcomes in projects funded by CSR, government grants and philanthropic contributions.

The partnership also aims to create a scalable national model based on transparent financing, measurable impact and institutional implementation in tribal and rural development.

Headquartered in Jashpur Nagar, Chhattisgarh, Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram works for the holistic development of tribal communities through education, healthcare, self-reliance and cultural preservation programmes across thousands of villages in the country.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar