The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), if voted to power, will grant recognition to Yenadis as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) and will chalk out schemes to ameliorate their living conditions, the party’s national general secretary N. Lokesh said.
Interacting with a group of tribals on the 149th day of his ‘Yuva Galam’ padayatra at Rajupalem in Nellore district on Friday, Mr. Lokesh alleged that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government had forced the tribals into misery by diverting funds earmarked for their welfare under the SC/ST sub-plan. The Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) was dysfunctional under the Jagan Mohan Reddy regime, he said, and promised to set up a separate finance corporation for Yenadis which would provide soft loans to help them earn a living with dignity.
He said the traditional fishing rights of the tribals in village water bodies would be restored by scrapping Government Order 217. It was unfortunate that the Gurukul schools set up for their wards had poor teaching infrastructure now, he said, and promised to improve education facilities available at these schools.
Funds would be earmarked for their welfare in proportion to their population, he said.
“Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who promised pension for ST women who crossed 45 years of age during his padayatra, conveniently forgot his promise after coming to power. All women would be provided ₹18,000 per year and another ₹15,000 for each child for their studies when the TDP returns to power,” he said, adding that three cooking gas cylinders would also be given to them free of cost in a year, along with free bus travel facility.
