<span style="color: #222222;">Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda today said, IT Ministry recently initiated a scheme with an outlay of approximately 6,500 crore rupees to enable broadband and 4G connectivity to 7,000 villages in the country. Replying to supplementaries on steps being taken to ensure access to internet connectivity for the tribal population in the country, Mr Munda informed this in the Lok Sabha.<br />'' <br />'' BJD MP Anubhav Mohanty raised his concerns on sickle disease that prominently affects tribals. He asked if the Government had received any representation pertaining to methodologies that would permanently eradicate the disease.<br />'' <br />'' Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda informed his Ministry is working with Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and the Health Ministry on the same. He added that they are working out a methodology on two fronts, namely, research and creation of a database.<br />''<br />''Mr Munda informed the house that counseling and raising awareness was important with regards to the disease. The minister also informed the House that the government is also working on making treatments easily accessible.Mr Munda also said the government is implementing Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP)  and Schedule Tribe Component (STC) Development Action Plan for STs for overall development of tribal people across the country.</span>