Kerala - Kannur   

Rs.37-crore scheme for Adivasis at Aralam farm

KANNUR: Minister for the Welfare of backward and scheduled communities A.K. Balan has said that the State government has approved Rs.37-crore for a project to develop infrastructure and other facilities required for the rehabilitation of Adivasis at the Aralam farm.

Speaking at the State-level distribution ‘mela’ of title deeds here on Sunday, Mr. Balan said that the assignment of land to the landless Adivasi families had become a reality.

The Rs.37-crore project sanctioned by the Scheduled Tribe Development Department envisaged development of facilities in the assigned land including houses, drinking water, electricity and hospital facility.

The works had been entrusted to Nirmithi Kendra, he said adding that a unit to make bricks required for the construction activities in the farm would be started along with a unit that would train Adivasis in brick-making would also be started in the farm.

This would ensure employment to the Adivasis. The government’s plan was to develop the Aralam farm into a model Adivasi village for the entire country, he announced.

Recalling that the government had released Rs.86 lakh last year for construction of temporary sheds in the farm and purchase of farm implements for the Adivasis, the Minister said that Rs.19 crore from the Rs.37-crore project had already been handed over to the Tribal Resettlement Development Mission.

Some Adivasi organisations were engaged in a misinformation campaign, he said referring to an agitation by the Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha here.

He said that the Aralam model project would be implemented in the Alakkode estate where Adivasis families had been rehabilitated.

The KSEB would implement a project to electrify the estate land at Alakkode, he announced.

Health Minister P.K. Sreemathi said that on November 1, the Social Security Mission would launch a scheme to offer free treatment for children upto 16 years suffering from diseases like cancer.

The Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, and the Malabar Cancer Centre at Thalassery had already been handed over Rs. 1 crore each for utilisation under the scheme, she said.

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