Udupi: Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya said he is immensely privileged and happy to celebrate the New Year with Koraga tribals as it reminds him of his childhood moments and upbringing.
During his stay at Koraga tribal Marli Koraga's house in Murur on Saturday, Anjaneya said a new scheme is going to be launched in January to empower tribal people. Koraga community students who complete higher studies at various levels will be felicitated. Seven districts have been included under the programme. The minister said he will also announce a new scheme in which, each woman in a household to be given Rs 25,000, where Rs 15000 will be subsidy for self-employment.
Stating that untouchability is practised at all levels, especially in Koraga community, the minister said the government is working towards the empowerment of the Koraga community people by introducing several programmes to bring them into the mainstream of the society.
The family members of Marli Koraga welcomed the minister into their house with an 'Aarathi' and garlanded him. He quickly freshened up and started mingling with the family as he is one among them. He was served dinner by Marli Koraga herself which consisted of kuchulakki rice, chapathi, basale soppina palya, batate saru and kadalebele sabakki payasa . He slept on the floor mat in the middle room of the house without a fan. A Western toilet was constructed adjacent of the house.
Murur village will be transformed into an Adarsha Grama (ideal village), wherein the village will get connecting stretches, a school, health care amenities and transport facilities. Fifty percent of the total allotments made in the district for the tribals is now being utilised for the upliftment of the Koraga community people.
He said the lifespan of Koragas is too short and the government has taken up measures to ensure better health care facilities to improve the health and living conditions. Lift irrigation facility has been provided at Heroor to ensure water for the Koragas.
Speaking on the introduction of Anti-Superstition Bill, Anjaneya said talks are held with the seers, progressive thinkers regarding the bill. Most probably, the bill will be brought before the Legislative Assembly in the next session. In another six months, the scarcity of staff in the Social Welfare Department will solved with large-scale recruitments. The civic workers will be given equal pay for equal work, he said.
Earlier, he held an interaction with the Koraga people.