Converting Thands, inhabited by Banjara or Lambani community, into revenue villages was very important for their all-round development, opined Jalaja Naik, chairperson of Karnataka Thanda Development Corporation Limited.
She was speaking to mediapersons at Inspectors' Bungalow in Raichur on Wednesday. She exuded confidence that the process would be completed in her tenure as the chairperson of the Corporation.
“There is no ambiguity at Government level to convert all the Thands in the State into revenue villages. The issue has been under discussion after it was raised by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge in 1994. With the constitution of K. Narasimhaiah committee, the process has taken off. As per the recommendation of the committee, the survey is underway to identify the Thandas for conversion. I hope that it would be completed before my tenure as Thanda Development Corporation gets over,” she said. Of a total 3351 Thands in the State, 2247 are eligible to become revenue villages, she added.
Funds unitisation
Ms. Naik expressed dissatisfaction over officials’ inefficiency in completely utilising the funds released for Thanda development.
“A sum of over Rs. 150 crores has been released through Thanda Development Corporation since 2009 for the development of Thandas. Nearly half of the amount remained unutilised owing to the inefficiency of the implementing authorities at grassroots level. We have now taken the issue seriously and will ensure that all the funds would be spent for the purpose,” she said.
Future plans
Ms. Naik said that the Corporation, in association with Hampi University, is working on establishing a Banjara Language Development Centre at Bahaddur Bandi in Koppal district. “A sum of Rs. 7 crore is already released for the purpose. The centre is expected to develop Banjara language, which Lambani community speaks, with Devanagari as it script,” she said.
She also said that another ambitious project of establishing a multi-purpose centre at Humnabad taluk in Bidar district was underway. “36 acres of lands are identified in Humnabad talkuk and a sum of Rs. 36 crores released for the purpose. The centre would house a garment factory, training centre, old-age home and other institutions exclusively for people of Lambani community,” she said.