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House site pattas given away to tribals

PUDUCHERRY: Chief Minister N. Rangasamy on Tuesday launched the scheme to distribute free house site pattas to people belonging to the Irular, Malai Kuravar, Kurumaan and Yerukula tribes in the Union Territory. He distributed pattas to 51 families.

After handing over the pattas in the presence of Collector G. Theva Needhi Dhas and MLA P. Angalane, Mr. Rangasamy told reporters here that the Government had identified land in seven places for implementing the scheme. In the first phase of allotment, each family would get 688 sq.ft. at Vadhanur, he said.

“Steps will also be taken for constructing houses for these people. As a next step we will be distributing milch animals so as to wean them away from their traditional occupations,” he added. The houses would be constructed either with the help of non-Governmental organisations or with funds earmarked for Government schemes.

On the demand for classifying these people as Scheduled Tribes, the Chief Minister said, “there are over 4000 tribal families living in Puducherry, Karaikal and Yanam. We have included these five communities under the category of most backward classes and have recommended to the Union Government that they be declared as Scheduled Tribes.”

Official sources said that for the first time these communities, which prefer to stay near farmlands and away from other communities, have been provided land close to human habitations.

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