Around 41,060 members of Scheduled Castes were given about 44,520 acres of land till May 2009 under the State government’s scheme of distribution of wastelands to landless agriculturists.
This was revealed in the State government’s document furnished to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Totally, 1,75,511 beneficiaries were given about 2,10,535 lakh acres since the launch of the scheme in 2006-2007.
As for the extent of surplus lands allotted to landless agricultural labourers belonging to the SCs, 622 beneficiaries were given 717 acres from 2006-2007 till December 31, 2009. Under the Land Purchase Scheme of the Tamil Nadu Adi-Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation, 4,939 women beneficiaries were provided financial assistance of about Rs.32 crore from 2006-2007 to 2008-2009.
Indira Awas Yojana
In respect of Indira Awas Yojana, a housing project for the rural poor, wherein at least 60 per cent allocation had to be utilised for SCs/Scheduled Tribes, the document stated that 60 per cent allocation (36,556 out of total of 60,927) for SCs was achieved in 2006-2007; 56.32 per cent (47,256 out of 83,907) in 2007-2008; 53 per cent (45,728 out of 86,460) in 2008-2009 and 21 per cent (35,336 out of 1,70,334) in 2009-2010 (as on December 31, 2009).
Special courts
As for constituting special courts under the 1989 Act, a senior official of the Adi-Dravidar and Tribal Welfare department explains that the State government had constituted four special courts with Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Madurai and Tirunelveli as headquarters. Proposals had been mooted for two more courts with Villupuram and Coimbatore as headquarters. In respect of other districts, the government designated Sessions Courts as Special Courts to try the cases under the 1989 Act and the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955.
During the State-level review meeting taken by the Commission with the State government’s representatives, Adi-Dravidar Welfare Minister Tamilarasi said the government had been providing scholarships and other concessions to nearly 18 lakh students belonging to SC/STs and SC converted to Christianity at a cost of Rs. 182 crore. She gave an account of various other measures being taken by the State government to promote interests of SCs. She appealed to the Commission to impress upon the Central government to sanction additional funds for higher education, housing and infrastructure facilities.
