TIRUPATHUR: Tribals, one of the most marginalised sections of society, are usually among the last people to receive the benefits of development. They are often constantly in search of a better livelihood to earn a steady income and make ends meet.
Making matters worse, the tribals working at plantation sites in the neighbouring States of Karnataka and Kerala often get exploited by their employers. And there is little expectation that things will get better, thanks to the poor employment opportunities up in the hills.
But even against this backdrop, there is hope. Hundreds of women from tribal communities are set to become entrepreneurs, thanks to the Van Dhan scheme. Under the scheme, value-added products will be made using agricultural produce from the hills.
The scheme was introduced by the Central government in 2018, and so far, about 300 people who live atop the Yelagiri Hills in Tirupathur district have been selected from 24 self-help groups (SHGs) for training in converting agricultural produce - such as millets and tamarind — into income-generating products — such as pickles — besides handling of equipment and enterprise management.
“The aim of the scheme is to give them opportunities to eke out a livelihood with a permanent income. By converting the locally-available produce into value-added products, they can get remunerative prices. This will help increase the returns of the agricultural produce,” said S Santhi, project officer (PO) of the Tribal Welfare department, Tirupathur.
Once the members are trained, Van Dhan Vikas Kendras will be set up, she added. Srinivasan Services Trust, the social arm of TVS Motor Company and Sundaram Clayton, has been roped in to provide training and set up the Kendras for the tribal women. A similar project is being implemented at Jamunamarathur, atop the Jawadhu Hills in Tiruvannamalai, and is set to be launched at Anaicut in Vellore district.