For the 22 families at Ramaranai tribal settlement inside the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, who were without a regular income so far, the district administration’s ‘Seemar Broom’ project has ensured a sustainable livelihood support in the last six months and improved their standard of living for the first time.
The hamlet is located one km away from Talamalai – Dhimbam forest road and comes under Talamalai Panchayat in the Talavadi Hills. As many as 67 members belonging to the Sholaga community are living there, depending on collecting honey and cultivating crops in their small holdings for their own consumption. “We were without any regular income all these years,” said Amudha of the hamlet. “When the Collector visited our hamlet last year, we narrated our problems and wanted work or regular income,” she said.
Based on the directions of the Collector, a study was undertaken to improve their livelihood and later people were trained to make broomsticks. Ramaranai Self-Help Group (SHG) was formed and the villagers started making broomsticks. “Earlier, we used to harvest broom grass from the forest area, dry it and sell to traders through the Village Forest Committee for ₹20 a kg. But, now we are selling broomsticks for ₹50 a piece to District Supply and Marketing Society (DSMS), a unit of Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women,” said Amudha.
Officials said earlier the annual earnings of each family was a few thousand rupees while now each family could earn up to ₹1 lakh annually if they continued to do the work. So far, 2,657 broomsticks were purchased from people who were paid ₹1,17,520.
The villagers said their income was ensured for eight months in a year that had started to enhance their quality of life. “The project has brought light to our hamlet,” said Saraswathi who is confident of educating her child in the plains.
Collector H. Krishnanunni told The Hindu the “Seemar Broom ‘‘ project started in Ramaranai village continued to make a positive impact on the lives of tribal people through better and steady income, reduced unemployment, forest conservation and tribal women empowerment. Hence, the project was extended to Thalakarai hamlet in Bargur Hills, one of the most backward areas in the district. “The project will help provide 300% additional income to the hill dwellers through value addition,” he added.
About 20 families in Thalakarai hamlet were provided training on April 4 and 5 and an SHG would be formed soon. Under the Community Investment Fund, loans would be provided for purchasing twine, knife and other raw materials, and their products would be procured by the DSMS.
