KHAMMAM: IN an initiative spearheaded by the collector Rajith Kumar Shini, Bhadradri Kothagudem’s district administration will now provide employment opportunities to the Gottikoya families who migrated to the district from Chattisgarh.
When these families first arrived in the State, they only owned the clothes on their bodies. Despite initial efforts of the Telangana government to send them back to Chattisgarh, the tribals put their foot down and began practising field works here. Later, the State government agreed to provide them with Aadhaar, ration and voter cards.
But since their living condition continues to remain poor, the district collector Rajat Kumar Saini has decided to provide them with National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGAs) employment cards as well. He has also decided to provide the tribeswomen with training in bamboo handicrafts and tailoring apart from arranging auto rickshaws for the youngsters. Distribution of hens for rearing is also in the pipeline as a form of additional income for the families.
“We have identified about 24 Gottikoya hamlets for the first phase of this project. Based on the results, the plan would be extended to other hamlets,” said Bhadradri collector Rajat Kumar Saini.
The education of children and their health is also one of the primary concerns of the officials, he said. The district education officer has already been instructed to appoint education volunteers to ensure all children are admitted to schools, he added.
Following torture and harassment by the banned militia, Salwa Judum, which was once backed by the government, over 20,000 Gottikoya tribals fled from some districts of Chattisgarh to Bhadrachalam and Polvoncha divisions in TS. Assembled by the Congress leader Mahender Karma in 2005, the Salwa Judum was responsible for killing many tribals and setting their homes ablaze, on the pretext that the tribals supported of the Maoists.