post news network
Bhubaneswar Dec 17: There is a need to provide tribal children a proper platform to hone their talent, said Umi Bae, the chief of the Unicef state field office during the inauguration of the three-day 5th Sargiful festival at the Adivasi ground here Wednesday.
About 900 participants, including students and their teachers, from across the state participated in the festival that will feature workshops on 19 events in the morning and cultural competitions in 10 fields in the evening. The festival, being organised by the SC/ST development department, will also feature a state-level science exhibition and film shows.
Umi Bae took the opportunity to express her deep condolence for the terrorist attack on the schoolchildren in Pakistan. “I am pained by the gruesome attack. I pray for the soul of the little ones killed in the attack,” she said.
The Unicef official had a word of praise for the organisers. “I take this opportunity to congratulate the SC/ST department for organising the festival for the 5th consecutive year,” she said.
The festival was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Those who shared the dais were ST/SC development minister Lal Bihari Himrika, minister of state for SC welfare Snehangini Chhuria, minister of state for tribal welfare Sudam Marndi, commissioner-cum-secretary ST/SC development , minorities and backward-class welfare department Surendra Kumar, and the director of the department Raghu Prasad.
