₹100-crore benefits to be given away to tribals today

The Andhra Pradesh government will distribute assets and financial assistance amounting to ₹100 crore to tribal people at World Adivasi Day (International Day of the World’s Indigenous People) celebrations being organised at Araku in Visakhapatnam district on August 9.

Besides, capital works worth ₹43 crore will be inaugurated and foundation laid for works costing ₹36 crore. Lap-top computers would be distributed to meritorious students from the Scheduled Tribes, according to a press release.

Higher allocation

The government claimed that about ₹4,990 crore was allocated in the 2019-20 budget under the ST component, which was ₹811 crore more than the previous year’s allocation.

The Tribal Welfare Department was allocated ₹2,153 crore in the 2019-20 budget, which is ₹24 crore higher than last year’s outlay. The government had taken various other measures for the welfare of tribal communities with due emphasis on their health and education, it was stated.

The government said 12,293 permanent jobs were notified for STs in village/ward secretariats, 4,574 in scheduled areas, 5,705 in plain areas and 2,014 in urban areas.