President Murmu inaugurates Bastar Pandum 2026 in Jagdalpur

New Delhi, Feb 7: President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated Bastar Pandum 2026 at Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh, highlighting the region’s rich cultural traditions and recent progress. Addressing the gathering, the President said that for the people of Bastar, Pandum is a celebration of everyday life, from sowing crops to the arrival of the mango season, and reflects a way of life from which others can learn. She said that while Bastar’s culture has long attracted admiration, the region suffered for decades due to Maoist violence, with youth, tribals and Dalits bearing the brunt. Decisive action by the government, she noted, has helped restore peace, with many former extremists surrendering and returning to the mainstream. President Murmu said development is now visible across Bastar, with electricity, roads and drinking water reaching villages, closed schools reopening, and children returning to classrooms.

She highlighted rehabilitation efforts and welfare schemes, including the state’s Niyad Nellanar Yojana, as well as central initiatives such as PM-JANMAN and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.

Emphasising education as the foundation of progress, she referred to Eklavya Model Residential Schools in tribal areas and urged parents to educate their children. The President also called for preserving Bastar’s heritage, citing the Bastar Dussehra as a symbol of tribal culture and brotherhood, while embracing development for a Viksit Bharat.