The Centre will provide more funds under various schemes to Assam for overall development of its tribal population, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Kanti Lal Bhuria today said.

'We want the tribal people across the country to not only get land rights in forest areas but also enjoy the benefits of development. If the state government works in tandem with the Centre, then the tribal people will not lag behind but forge ahead on every front', Bhuria, who called on Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi here, said.

The tribal affairs ministry, he said, has initiated a new scheme under which residential schools would be set up in tribal areas with low literacy rate.

Under it Rs 12 crore each would be allotted to set up a residential school in the plains and Rs 16 crore in hilly areas and the ministry would relax the norms for land requirement for setting up residential schools on 20 acres as required in other states to 15 acres in the North East, he said.

Bhuria 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 Sixth schedule, official sources said.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi apprised him about the various initiatives taken by the state government for the development of tribals in the state.