The Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Mr. Kanti Lal Bhuria met Assam Chief Minister Mr. Tarun Gogoi at the latter’s official chamber at Dispur today and reviewed the progress of implementation of Forest Rights Act and other schemes.<br/><br/>Mr. Bhuria said his Ministry wants that each State should implement the slew of schemes meant for tribal people so that they too could march head with other communities and reap the fruits of development.Expressing satisfaction over the progress being made by Assam in according land rights to tribal people, Mr. Bhuria said that his ministry would provide more funds under its various schemes to the State for overall development of the tribal people. He asked the officials of the concerned departments to submit timely proposals along with utilisation certificates for quick release of funds.<br/><br/>Disclosing about a new scheme of his ministry to set up residential schools in tribal areas having low literacy, Mr. Bhuria asked the State Government officials to send proposals to avail the benefits under the scheme. Under the scheme, 12 crore rupees each is allotted to set up a residential school in plains and 16 crore rupees in hilly areas. He assured that his ministry would relax the norms for land requirement for setting up a residential school from that of 20 acres as required in other States to 15 acres for the Northeast.<br/><br/>The Union Minister asked the State Government to sort out the problem of land settlement of tribal people in areas under Bodoland Territorial Council and Autonomous Councils falling under the 6th Schedule. <br/><br/>The State Chief Minister Mr. Tarun Gogoi dwelt at length the various initiatives taken by the Government for development of tribals in the State. He said that his Government has decided to set up a university, an engineering college and a medical college in tribal areas. The Chief Minister said that his Government has distributed over 27,000 land pattas to tribal people living in 312 forest villages covering over 38,000 hectares and the process is on to provide 90,000 more pattas in the coming days.