Stalin distributes house pattas to Narikuravars, Irulars

CHENNAI: Days after the video of a Narikuravar woman narrating how her community members were discriminated against during an Annadhanam at Sthalasayanaperumal temple in Mamallapuram went viral, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday presented land pattas and other assistance to members of both Narikuravar and Irular communities in Poonjeri village.

Upon the request of two women, Bhavai and Aswini, Stalin visited their tenements and interacted with the families. At a function held for distributing the land pattas, Stalin received a bead necklace from Aswini, a Nariukurava woman who flagged the discrimination against her community members.

Protecting self-respect and dignity of every person in marginalised communities is the duty of the Dravidian movement, said MK Stalin in a tweet. “What Aswini was denied was not food, but respect,” he said. On Thursday, Stalin distributed pattas to 248 persons belonging to Narikuravar and Irular communities in Poonjeri and launched various welfare schemes and development works to the tune of Rs 4.53 crore.

Besides land pattas, family ration cards, community certificates, electoral identity cards, assistance from banks, among others were distributed. Housing pattas for plots worth Rs 3.52 crore were distributed to 248 persons under the Chief Minister’s Special Regularising Scheme.

As many as 88 persons from the Irular community received ST community certificates and 34 from the Narikuravar community were given MBC certificates. The CM also distributed membership’s cards to 25 persons registering them in the Tamil Nadu Narikuravar Welfare Board. About 18 received orders for undergoing training to produce ornaments for their entrepreneurship and 12 persons received loan assistance of Rs 1 lakh each under the MUDRA scheme. In addition, bank loans of Rs 10,000 each for 33 persons for undertaking self-employment were also distributed by Stalin.

Stalin has also given approval for implementing Kalaignar Urban Development Scheme in Poonjeri and passed an order for building Anganwadi centres and new classrooms for the panchayat union primary school using funds from the Madras Atomic Power Station under Corporate Social Responsibility, said an official statement.