THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Scheduled Tribe Development Department celebrated its 50th foundation day on Saturday with a grand function at Kanakakunnu, coinciding with the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
The event brought together over 300 tribal people from across the state. Inaugurating the golden jubilee celebrations, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensure the development of Scheduled Tribes in the state. He pointed out that Kerala’s budgetary allocation for tribal development far exceeds national averages.
“In Kerala, Scheduled Tribes constitute about 1.45 per cent of the total population, but the state allocates 2.83 per cent of its budget for their development. At the national level, Scheduled Tribes represent about 8.6 per cent of the population, yet the Union Budget earmarks only 3.08 per cent for their welfare,” the chief minister said.
The chief minister also launched Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled classrooms for tribal students, highlighting the importance of using technology responsibly. “We are living in an era of technology with many benefits. However, AI is also misused to spread misleading information about indigenous communities,” he said.