The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Court panel recommends job guarantee scheme

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 22, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Court panel recommends job guarantee scheme

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, MARCH 21. The Supreme Court Commission on Food Security will recommend to the State Government that it implement a special employment guarantee scheme with Central assistance for tsunami victims until they return to their normal activities.

Winding up the public hearing of the Supreme Court Commission on food security here today, Harsh Mander, adviser to the Commission, said it would take at least three years for the victims to return to their regular life. The special employment scheme should be different from the normal one.

Mr. Mander said there were complaints that many affected people, especially Dalits, orphans and farm workers, were not provided government assistance. He wanted a list of those who were left out so that he could take up their cases with the Government. Again there were conflicts between fishermen and other communities over distribution of assistance. He appealed to the victims to sink their differences so that injustice was not done to the affected.

Earlier, representatives from tsunami-hit areas complained that relief measures announced by the Central and State Governments had not reached them. Dalits and other non-fishing communities charged that fishermen cornered most of the relief amount.

In some areas, they alleged fishermen virtually prevented officials from distributing relief materials to non-fishermen. They said middlemen in connivance with a few officials took a 40 per cent commission in cash assistance.

Though the Government announced that free rice would be given to the affected, in many Dalit colonies only a handful got it. In South Pitchavaram, ration rice was being sold at Rs. 6 a kg as against the normal price of Rs. 3.50. The quality was also very poor.

Farm workers jobless

Agricultural workers said there was no work for them as land became unfit for cultivation. Under the food-for-work programme, only one member in a family was considered. Until land was reclaimed, they should be given alternative employment.

State Government officials said specific complaints of the victims would be looked into. The commission is expected to give its report to the State Government within two days.

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