The Hindu : Declaration of scheduled area impractical: Kuttappan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 27, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Declaration of scheduled area impractical: Kuttappan

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM MAY 26. The Minister for Welfare of Scheduled and Backward Communities, M.A. Kuttappan, said here on Monday that the Government was thinking of a legislation to protect tribal culture and punish those who encroach upon tribal lands.

Participating in the `Meet-the-Minister Programme' organised by the Press Club here, the Minister said that it would not be practical to declare any area in the State as a scheduled area. The law required that 50 per cent of the population in a taluk or block should be tribals for that area to be declared a scheduled area. There was no such area in Kerala. Hence, the proposal for legislation.

Asked whether the Government that had not enforced law restricting transfer of tribals lands could be expected to punish those who occupy tribal lands, Dr. Kuttappan said that all parties were responsible for the non-implementation of the law. Rules were framed for restoration of alienated lands only 11 years after enactment of the law.

The Minister announced that a Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes commission with semi judicial powers would be formed at the State level on the lines of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Tribes. The Government had decided to bring legislation for the purpose as promised in its election manifesto.

Dr. Kuttappan said that a Rs. 500-crore housing scheme would be implemented for Scheduled Castes and tribes with funding from international lending agencies such as the World Bank. About one lakh houses would be built under the scheme. The entire assistance would be given as grants to beneficiaries living below the poverty line.

He said that the conditions imposed by the Central Government for diversion of 30,000 acres of vested forests for distribution to tribals were hard on the Government.

The Centre had stipulated that the State Government should take up afforestation of ecologically fragile lands taken over by the Government in lieu of the vested forests. The State would have to find funds for that.

He said that all landless tribals in Idukki and Kollam districts had been given land. Land would be made available to all landless tribals in Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram shortly. Only the problem of tribals with marginal holdings would remain in these districts. However, vested forests would be required to provide land to all the landless tribals in Wayanad, Palakkad and Kannur districts.

He said that the Government proposed to build an `Ambedkar Bhavan' at Mannanthala at a cost of Rs. 20 crores. The Bhavan will have a library, Dalit museum, art gallery and training centre. For the first time, two residential English medium schools offering CBSE syllabus would be started under the Scheduled Tribes Department at Aluva and Nooranad (Alappuzha district).

He said that the Government had spent substantial sums on educational of tribals and this had shown results. A sum of Rs. 91.31 crores had been spent on education and Rs. 65 crores on housing last year.

The Secretary (Tribal Development), C.V. Ananda Bose, the Director of Scheduled Caste Development, A.J. Rajan, and the Director of Scheduled Tribes Development, T.T. Antony, were present.

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