Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram   

President to launch scheme for tribals

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM NOV. 12. The President, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, would inaugurate a Rs. 34-crore `Total Development Project' for tribals in Attappady on November 17.

The Rural Development Minister, C. F. Thomas, told a news conference here today that the scheme, forming part of the Rs. 219-crore scheme for development of the Attappady area with assistance from the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), was meant for construction of 2,200 houses for shelter less tribals in Attappady, upgradation of all the schools in the locality, creation of new employment opportunities, provision of drinking water and sanitation facilities and establishment of a Science Centre.

Mr. Thomas said Rs. 13.70 crores had been earmarked for constructing 2,200 new houses and repairing 600 existing ones, Rs. 92 lakhs for supply of drinking water in the tribal hamlets, Rs. 30 lakhs for creating improved sanitation facilities, Rs. 3.14 crores for harnessing non-conventional energy for the benefit of the Adivasis, Rs. 4.80 crores for creating new employment opportunities, Rs. 3.51 crores for upgradation of the 27 schools in the area and Rs. 1.55 crores for setting up a Science Centre.

He said the President would also inaugurated the office building of the Attappady Hill Area Development Society (AHADS) and the Science Centre. The President would also administer an oath against drug and liquor abuse to people in the Attappady region. The area had a tribal population of 24,227 out of a total population of 62,033. Restoration of ecological balance of the locality and implementation of development projects were vital to the very survival of the tribals in the area, he said.

Replying to questions, he said Rs. 25 crores had been spent since the launch of the project in 1996 for afforestation, development of agricultural crops, soil conservation and similar activities in the area. He said the new scheme had been taken up as a component of the Rs. 219-crore project on account of the feeling that the `pace of development in the area was a little slow'. He commented on the slow pace of execution of projects by the tribals and seemed to hint at the possibility of a return to contract system for its execution.

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