In a notable initiative, the state government has decided to start community kitchens in all the 186 tribal hamlets of Attappadi and also revive the Attappadi Hill Area Development Society (AHADS).
The facility, which will be set into motion by the end of this month, will ensure cooked food for lactating mothers, pregnant women, children below six years and elders aged above 60 years. In addition to it, cooked food will be served from 172 anganwadis also.
The decision was taken at a high-level meet chaired by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here on Monday. In addition to the unique issues of Attappadi, the meet veered around an assessment that the tribals closeted in various pockets across the state needed more attention.
Rural Development Minister K C Joseph said the meet had also resolved to energise the NREGS scheme in the Attappadi belt for providing gainful employment. The state will seek permission of the Centre to provide employment to an additional member in each tribal family, he said.
An amount of `6.97 crore has been sanctioned to complete 25 irrigation schemes in the area, which are lying idle now. “Steps will be taken to revive the Attappadi Hill Area Development Society (AHADS),’’ he said, adding that 81 tribals who were earlier with the society had been posted as watchers in the Forest Department.
AHADS was instrumental in reshaping the once denuded Attappadi hills and developed sustainable livelihood mechanisms based on land and small-scale agriculture for tribals over a couple of decades.
But, criticism was there that ever since the tenure of the Japan-funded project was over a couple of yeas back, it began to have a direct bearing on the lives of the Attappadi tribals. The state is looking towards funding from the Centre, for reviving the project.
The minister also said that additional batches would be allotted to ensure adequate seats to cater to the tribal students, who were presently facing trouble for Plus-I admission. “In addition to the existing Model Residential School (MRS), an exclusive MRS for Attappadi would be set up. The Collector had been entrusted with the task of identifying land for this purpose,’’ Joseph said. The government has also decided to create a mechanism to ensure facilities for all eligible tribal students who wanted to pursue their degree courses.