Social Welfare Minister H. Anjaneya will take up his “grama vastavya” (village stay) programme in the house of a member belonging to the Koraga community at Kalthodu village near Byndoor, about 80 km from here, in Udupi district on December 31.
A press release issued here on Wednesday said that Mr. Anjaneya will be staying overnight in the house of Marli alias Marla Koraga at Mururu Koraga Colony in Kathodu village.
At a preparatory meeting of government officers and leaders of Koraga community at the Zilla Panchayat Hall at the District Offices Complex here on Wednesday, Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Services and Sports, said that there was a possibility that Mr. Anjaneya would announce programmes for the welfare of the backward communities of the district. Hence, the officers should prepare an action plan focussing on the needs of the backward communities in Udupi district.
The population of the Koraga community was declining in the district.
Hence, it had been decided to form a committee comprising the District Health and Family Welfare Officer, the District Surgeon and the members of the Public Health Department, Manipal University, to look into the health issues related to the Koraga community. A committee would be formed to promote education among the Koraga community. Mr. Anjaneya was coming to study first-hand the ground realities and needs of the Koraga community.
He (Mr. Madhwaraj) would submit a memorandum seeking comprehensive development and funds for the welfare of the tribal and weaker sections of society in the district.
There were 2,000 Koraga families and their population was estimated at 9,000 in the district. Already, steps had been taken for their welfare through the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) Department. But it was necessary to provide more facilities to both the Koraga and Malekudiya communities, he said.
The leaders of the Koraga community should give the names of the hospitals where their members could receive treatment.
They would be included in the committees to be formed by the district administration.
The ITDP Department should provide a single window clearance for skill development and title deeds to the Koraga community, he said.
The members of the Koraga community should not be made to run from one department to another in search of facilities. All facilities should be made easily available to them, Mr. Madhwaraj said.
T. Venkatesh, Deputy Commissioner, Priyanka Mary Francis, CEO of Zilla Panchayat, Shilpa Nag, Assistant Commissioner, Yogishwar, Nodal Officer, Harish Gaonkar, ITDP officer, and Ramesh, District Social Welfare Officer, were present.
