Tribals happy with distribution of RoFR pattas: Deputy CM

Srivani defends decision to shift Tribal University to Saluru Agency

Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Tribal Welfare P. Pushpa Srivani on Friday said that distribution of Records of Forest Rights (RoFR) pattas to the landless tribal people would bring about a remarkable change in their economic status.

“The exercise kick-started on October 2 to distribute 3 lakh acres to 1.53 lakh tribal families will be completed by November 2,” Ms. Srivani told the media here.

Tribal families involved in agriculture activity used to face many hardships in the absence of right over the land, she said. “Each tribal family will get at least two acres under the programme. For the first time, even revenue land is being given. The initiative will ensure a decent income to the beneficiaries,” said Ms. Srivani.

Dig at TDP

“The tribal people had faced many problems during the TDP term. That was why, they had rejected the TDP in the 2019 elections. The opposition party will face a severe drubbing in the 2024 elections too as almost all the tribal families are happy with the distribution of the pattas by the YSRCP,” she said.

Defending the decision to shift the Central Tribal University from S. Kota constituency to Saluru constituency, she said, “India’s first National Tribal University was established in the tribal area of Amarkantak in Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh. Taking a cue from it, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to locate the university in the Saluru Agency area since S. Kota is an urban locality,” she added.

“We have communicated the same to the Central team that visited Kottakki village in Saluru constituency. It has good road connectivity. The proposed international airport at Bhogapuram is also located nearby,” said Ms. Srivani.

Promising to improve road connectivity in all the tribal areas in the State in a phased manner, she said, “The Ministry of Tribal Welfare has done a detailed study on the budget required to lay roads in the remote areas. There will be no connectivity issues in the future as the government is keen on allocating more funds under the ST Sub-Plan,” she said.