'Govt exploring partnerships with UN agencies for betterment of tribals'

The government is proactively exploring collaborative partnerships with UN agencies and international foundations to leverage their expertise and resources for the betterment of tribal communities in the country, officials said on Wednesday.

Senior officials of the tribal affairs ministry held a crucial meeting with representatives of UN agencies, including World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, United Nations Development Programme and United Nations Environment Programme, on Tuesday to explore potential collaborations and partnerships in different sectors to enhance tribal development.

Vibhu Nayar, the secretary in the ministry, said these partnerships are crucial to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) in India.

The meeting sought to identify key areas of intervention where UN agencies and international foundations can contribute to tribal development. The participants discussed potential projects and initiatives that can be undertaken in the health, education, livelihood and infrastructure sectors through collaborative efforts, the ministry said in a statement.

Officials said the government, UN agencies and international foundations will establish a framework for collaboration and partnership to ensure sustainable and impactful outcomes for tribal communities.