Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes A.K. Balan has said that steps have been taken to provide land to all landless tribespeople in the State by the end of the year.
Speaking after inaugurating 14 different development projects for tribespeople in the district on Wednesday, Mr. Balan said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had directed Revenue and Forest Ministers as well as senior officials and district collectors recently to expedite measures for the purpose.
“More than thousand landless tribal families in the State will be provided land under various schemes of the government,” Mr. Balan said adding that the majority of landless tribal families were in Wayanad district.
Setting a model
Tribespeople in the State had set a model for others by tackling the spread of COVID-19 in society, Mr. Balan said.
COVID cases in tribal areas were very low compared to the general category of people in the State, Mr. Balan said adding that the spread of the pandemic had been effectively contained in Attappady area in Palakkad district.
There were also no COVID-related deaths, he said.
Such an achievement was made possible with the timely intervention of officials of the Tribal Development Department and Health officials as well as peoples’ representatives, the Minister said.
The Minister inaugurated projects, including the rehabilitation project for the evicted tribal families from Karapuzha reservoir area, stone-laying ceremony of 56 houses, distribution of keys to 46 newly constructed houses and inauguration of an apparel park for tribal people, on the occasion. C.K. Saseendran, MLA, presided.
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