In a development initiative aimed at countering the Maoist threat, Kerala government proposes to execute a comprehensive project for integrated sustainable development of tribespeople in Thodarnadu grama panchayat.
The integrated sustainable development project would be executed in 12 tribal settlements in the grama panchayat, including Chappa, Kombara, Ittilattil, Churuli, Maradi, Karkottil, Kattimoola, Arimala, Mattilayam, Perijerimala, Arimala and Pannippad, at a cost of Rs. 5 crore , Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Tribes P.K. Jayalakshmi told The Hindu .
A State-level working committee meeting chaired by Subrato Biswas, Principal Secretary, Scheduled Tribe Development Department, recently had sanctioned the project under the additional Tribal sub-plan and as many as 200 tribal families in the grama panchayat would benefit from the project, the Minister said.
The Minister said close to 56 per cent of the area was covered by forest and the government had already sanctioned Rs. 2 crore for development activities in the area.
Various development projects such as construction of roads and culverts, pavements and bridges, installation of power fencing and construction of trenches to tackle wildlife attack, construction of houses and toilets, electrification, and self-employment projects to the tribespeople would be executed under the project, Ms. Jayalakshmi said. Apart from this, a comprehensive development project of Rs.1 crore for 60 tribal families of the Alakkal settlement would be executed under the tribal hamlet project of the Tribal Development Department, Ms. Jayalakshmi said. The Minister said such projects would help to curb the activities of suspected Maoists in the tribal areas in the district.
