Living conditions will be improved in tribal areas: CM

To improve the living conditions of tribal people, the Government plans to provide infrastructure facilities in the tribal hamlets in the State, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said here on Saturday.

With about 20 districts having a sizeable tribal population, the focus is on providing potable drinking water, improving roads, power supply, transportation, higher education and healthcare facilities in a big way, Mr. Palaniswami said at the inaugural of the annual summer festival. The State expects financial assistance from the Centre, but would use its funds if the assistance did not come.

Mr. Palaniswami said mini-buses on circular routes would be operated in Yercaud and Karumanthurai hills. ‘Eklavya’ Model Residential Schools would be opened at these places during the next academic year to provide quality education to tribal children.

To an appeal from Yercaud MLA G. Chitra that pattas be given to tribal people to construct houses on the land owned by them, Mr. Palaniswami assured her of steps as per the rules.

The Chief Minister said ₹100 crore had been earmarked for the ‘Koottu Pannai Thittam’, under which farmers’ groups were being formed and given equipment for farm operations.

So far 647 tractors, 1,849 power tillers, 1,369 equipment for the removal of weeds, 783 ploughs and 4,078 other equipment had been provided to farmers groups. The scheme had so far benefited 1.98 lakh farmers, and it would help increase food production.

As for increasing the green cover, the Government had changed the slogan from “One family, one tree” to “Each family member, one tree”. He said 70 lakh saplings were planting to mark the 70th birth anniversary of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. The forest department would provide one lakh saplings to the visitors to the summer festival here.

State Tourism Minister Vellamandi N. Natarajan said Tamil Nadu was considered one of the safest tourism destinations in the country. The Government had earmarked ₹173.42 for tourism promotion activities in the current budget. Various tourism development projects were implemented in Yercaud at an outlay of ₹8.32 crore sanctioned by the Centre. The department recently implemented tourism development works worth ₹ 86 lakh at Mettur Dam and two other tourism spots.

‘Dindigul’ C. Srinivasan, Forest Minister, R. Duraikannu, Agriculture Minister, Apoorva Varma, State Tourism Secretary, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Agriculture Secretary, Rohini R. Bhajibhakare, District Collector and K. Kamaraj, MP spoke.