CHENNAI: Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Minister M Mathiventhan on Saturday announced several initiatives to promote entrepreneurship among Adi Dravidars and tribals. Among key measures is the development of pre-built industrial facilities designed to help businesses commence operations quickly with minimal setup, at a cost of Rs 115 crore at TAHDCO industrial estates in Erode and Tiruppur. He made these announcements while replying to a discussion on the department’s demands for grants.
Mathiventhan also announced the launch of the ‘Uruthunai’ scheme at a cost of Rs 40 crore to provide loans to small traders, entrepreneurs and workers through district cooperative banks along with government subsidy. In addition, the TAHDCO New Commercial Complex Scheme will be implemented at a cost of Rs 15 crore to help entrepreneurs set up shops in commercial complexes under the control of local bodies.
To encourage greater participation of SC and ST entrepreneurs in public procurement, Rs 50 lakh has been allocated for TN BEAT Skill Development Training programme. The scheme will offer training in vendor development, registration on Government e-Marketplace portal, financial literacy, business strategies, and digital opportunities.
Under the Iyothee Thass Pandithar Habitation Development Scheme, 40 knowledge centres will be established in rural and urban areas to facilitate education, skill development and social programmes. Model hostels equipped with gyms, auditoriums and multipurpose halls will also be constructed at a cost of Rs 80 crore in cities like Chennai and Coimbatore to accommodate the growing number of Adi Dravidar and Tribal students pursuing higher education. High-speed internet facility and smart boards in all college hostels under the department will be provided at Rs 3.55 crore.
In agriculture sector, Rs 14 crore will be spent under the ‘Ainthinai’ project to combine traditional agricultural practices with modern sustainable technologies to enhance production in tribal areas. To improve healthcare, a new scheme will be introduced to establish advanced facilities to address diseases prevalent among tribal communities including sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia. The scheme, for which Rs 10 crore has been allocated, will also introduce mobile ambulance services for remote areas.
