The Union Government on Thursday informed the Kerala High Court that the implementation of the Union Ministry of Rural Development’s Attappady Comprehensive tribal and particularly vulnerable tribal development project, formulated to reduce the high rate of infant morality rate among tribal communities, is facing severe resistance from local politicians in Attappady.
In a statement, the Centre pointed out that the project was approved in the financial year 2014-15 with an overall allocation of ₹52.12 crore over seven years. The project did not have a smooth functioning because of the Kudumbashree Mission’s reluctance to fund disbursements.
The local politicians had opposed the project design which had focussed on the organisation of tribal women and disbursement of funds through the institutions of tribal women.
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The project manager appointed by the government had demanded that there should be an integration of the project with panchayats and community development society (CDS) and areas development society (ADS).
The representation of the tribal community in CDS and ADS was minimal.
The leaders of the Scheduled Tribe community had met the Chief Minister and complained that the project was being dismantled in an institutional way.
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The Oorusamthis were deprived of their right to use the funds.
The statement was filed in response to a writ petition filed by the Attappady Adivasi Action Council.