SOCIETYKUDI: The government will consider the `1.73-crore proposal of the Idukki district panchayat to provide literacy to 320 children in Edamalakudi, Tribal Welfare Minister P K Jayalakshmi has said.
The functioning of the LP school in Edamalakudy would be monitored regularly as part of ensuring education for the children of the tribal village, the minister told reporters while winding up her two-day trip to the tribal panchayat in Munnar.
The tribal people of Edamalakudi hamlet are facing a number of problems which need to be addressed at the earliest, she said.
She termed the visit an eye-opener and said that it helped her in understanding the difficulties being faced by the people of the region, mainly women.
A master plan for the development of the hamlet will be prepared by the Devikulam Sub-Collector, she informed.
The minister also announced that the government would allocate `40 lakh for tarring the one-km road from Pulmedu to Edamalakudi.
As part of the initiative to increase the role of the Edamalakudi panchayat in the development of the region, promoters would be selected for each of the 13 wards in the tribal panchayat.
A pre-matric girls hostel would be set up in Munnar at an initial cost of `2.5 lakh.
Later, more funds would be allocated for it, she promised.
The Defence Ministry has been approached for building a Bailey bridge on the way to Edamalakudi.
The government would persuade the ministry to get the work done at the earliest, she assured.
Work on road connectivity to Edamalakudi would be taken up under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme, she said.
Solar power would be provided in areas which do not have access to electricity.
There are also plans to open an eco-shop in Munnar for marketing products made by the tribal people of Edamalakudi.
The government would also explore the possibility of starting an ayurvedic dispensary in the hamlet, and discussions would be held with the Health Department on upgrading the existing Public Health Sub-Centre in Edamalakudi to a full-fledged public health centre.
All developmental schemes would be implemented in a time-bound manner, the minister stated.
District panchayat president Alex Kozhimala, Tribal Welfare Department director C A Lata and Munnar Sub-Collector M G Rajamanikam were present.