CM announces sops for toddy-tapper community

Tree tax waived, government to absorb the burden

March 22, 2018 11:48 pm | Updated March 23, 2018 04:21 pm IST - HYDERABAD

 File photo of a toddy tapper at work at Udumpur in Kadem mandal in Adilabad district.

File photo of a toddy tapper at work at Udumpur in Kadem mandal in Adilabad district.

The State government has decided to waive the tree tax levied on toddy trees as also the pending dues from the toddy tappers on this count.

The government has announced its resolve to allocate five-acre land and ₹5 crore for the construction of Goud (toddy tappers community) Bhavan. The decision to waive the tree tax would cost the exchequer ₹16 crore a year and the government had decided to absorb the burden.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has announced a slew of measures for the welfare and uplift of the toddy tappers community which was “neglected” by the successive governments of the erstwhile united State. The Chief Minister, who made a statement on the benefits being given to toddy tappers community in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday said the licence renewal period for tappers would forthwith be enhanced from 5 to 10 years.

The government had already decided to revise the pension being paid to tappers from ₹200 a month to ₹1,000 a month. The benefit was being extended to members of the toddy tappers cooperative societies (TCS) till date, but it would be extended to cover the TFT (tree for tappers) covering about 30,000 families hailing from the Goud community. Officials had been directed to complete the process of converting TFT members into TCS in 10 days on receipt of applications.

Mr. Rao recalled how the previous governments delayed payment of ex-gratia to tappers in case of accidental death or permanent disability.

The arrears amounting to ₹6.38 crore on this count had been released immediately after the TRS government came to power. In addition, the government had increased ex-gratia amount which was previously pegged at ₹2 lakh in case of death and ₹50,000 in case of permanent disability to ₹5 lakh.

This apart, the government had decided to raise palm trees in a big way as part of Harita Haaram programme and 1.7 crore saplings had been planted so far. It was decided to ensure coordination between Excise and Forest departments for enabling planting of these trees on bunds abutting tanks and rivulets.

The Chief Minister lamented that the lack of understanding of Telangana rural culture and the absence of commitment for the uplift of the communities dependent on toddy tapping had made the survival of the vocation questionable. The Goud community was not allowed to live on their own as the previous governments had closed toddy vending outlets due to pressure from the liquor lobby.

The then leaders who were expected to object such moves unfortunately supported them and this had in turn posed threat to public health in the form of arrack sale in rural and urban Telangana. The government had therefore decided to open toddy vending outlets immediately after coming to power and undid the injustice meted out to the community, he added.

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