Medaram Jatara: Centre keeps Telangana’s request pending

In 2020, union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda had visited the Medaram jatara.

Hyderabad: Since the last few years, the Telangana government has been appealing to the Centre to accord National Festival status to the Medaram Jatara but the pleas have not been considered. This time, the festival will be celebrated from February 21 to 24.

In 2020, union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda had visited the Medaram jatara. Former Tribal Welfare Minister Satyavathi Rathod had personally requested him to declare Medaram Jatara as a national festival citing the move would aid in getting national and international focus for the festival.

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The union Minister was also informed that the Jatara was declared a State festival way back in 1998. Munda had assured the Telangana government that the issue would be discussed and action would be initiated accordingly.

Medaram Jatara is biennial festival celebrated in the Tadvai forests of Mulugu district. It is also the biggest tribal festival in the country and draws of millions of tribals from different States. Save for the financial assistance during the festivities, there has been no word from the Centre on according national festival status for Medaram, said a senior official from the Tribal Welfare department.

In 2022, union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy, after offering prayers at the Medaram Jatara said the union government was extending all possible support. Recently, the union government had released Rs.2.5 crore through the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism to celebrate the festival.

This time, the Telangana government has sanctioned Rs.75 crore for conducting the Medaram jathara grandly. Proposals for the festivities were prepared by the previous BRS government in July. Different line departments had proposed to take up several works, including establishing temporary toilet blocks, security deployment, bathing ghats etc for the smooth conduct of the festivities and elaborate arrangements for the convenience of devotees.

Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister D Anasuya assured that a request would be made again to the Centre to accord National Festival status to Medaram Jatara.