KOCHI: Born into Kuruma community, a tribal sub-caste with the highest school dropout rate in Kerala, K P Prasanth, a resident of Kaniyambatta in Wayanad, did not have any plan for his future when he completed BCom in 2017. However, the Rs 5-lakh scholarship offered by the SC/ST welfare department to facilitate foreign education of students belonging to marginalised communities changed his life.
“My ambition was to pursue masters in a foreign university. Due to my financial situation, my life took a different direction. In 2022, I received a scholarship from the Kerala Government and could pursue my MBA in data analytics and fintech at Anglia Ruskin University in England. Life has come a long way, proving that even with struggles and hurdles, we can chase our dreams. I am now working in a letting company in the UK as assistant project manager. I thank minister K Radhakrishnan, my family and friends who supported me through tough times,” says Prasanth.
“Implementation of welfare schemes will not help empower the marginalised sections that have been pushed to the fringes of society historically. We realised that education is the right tool for empowerment as it will help them compete with other communities and secure jobs. Once they get jobs, the next generation will integrate with society,” Radhakrishnan told TNIE.
“Under the Wings scheme, we have provided Rs 25.5 lakh scholarship to three SC students and two tribal students to pursue commercial pilot training at Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy. The most gratifying moment in my life was when the students came to my office to show me their pilot licence. I will cherish that memory. Now Sankeerthana Dinesh, the first tribal girl to get a commercial pilot licence, has expressed her desire to get trained in flying the A320 aircraft. I have sanctioned Rs 5 lakh each to all five students to pursue the training,” he said.
Empowerment programmes by Radhakrishnan
500 tribal community members appointed as beat forest officers
Scholarship for SC/ST communities to pursue courses in IIM, IIT, NIFT, CA, ICWA and company secretaryship
696 students provided E25 lakh each for foreign studies. They include 619 SC students, 41 ST students & 36 OBC students
Land for landless
607 acres distributed to 11,368 SC families
All tribal families in Thiruvananthapuram given land rights
4,247.42 acres distributed to 3,717 ST families
Housing project
Fund allocated to LIFE Mission to build houses for SC/ST communities
2021-22: Rs 418 crore
2022-23: Rs 140 crore
2023-24: Rs 220 crore
2024-25: Rs 440 crore
Houses under construction
30,117 for SC, 4,811 for ST
17,829 houses completed under Safe scheme in two years
Education facilities in settlements
9,811 study rooms for Class 5-12 students completed in 3 years. 364 community study rooms for Scheduled Tribes. Two Ekalavya Model Residential schools started in Kasaragod & Attappadi
Skill development
Training for Career Excellence (Trace), Justice Welfare and Legal Assistance (Jwala), Unnathi Kerala Empowerment Society formed to promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST communities
500 civil engg graduates and diploma holders appointed accredited engineers in local bodies. 250 SC students who completed para medical courses appointed in hospitals with honorarium
380 management trainees in government institutions. 112 LLB graduates from SC/ST communities appointed to ensure legal support to the communities.
Edamalakkudy development
Rs 13.70 cr for road development
Rs 4.31 cr for internet connectivity