ADI DRAVIDAR AND TRIBAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT

2001 - 2002

POLICY NOTE

Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is a high priority to this Government. This Government is committed to ensure that due share of fruits of economic development reach the under-privileged Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

2. The Tamil Nadu Government under the dynamic leadership and guidance of the Hon’ble Chief Minister has formulated various welfare schemes and socio-economic development programmes for the upliftment of the socially and economically backward Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

3.  As per the 1991 census, against the State’s total population of 5.59 crores, the population of Scheduled Castes is 1.07 crores constituting 19.18% and that of Scheduled Tribes is 0.06 crore constituting 1.03% of the total population.

I. EDUCATION

The statistics of 1991 census reveal that still 46.75% of the Scheduled Castes population and 27.89% of the Scheduled Tribes remain illiterate. Therefore, the main thrust continues to be on education. Out of the total allocation made to this Department, 70% is earmarked for primary and higher education. Currently the department is running schools and 1346 hostels including 26 Tribal Hostels and 245 Tribal Residential Schools.

Apart from construction and maintenance of schools and hostels, the following are provided namely supply of uniforms, supply of text-books and note-books, pre-matric, post matric, special and loan scholarships. Different kinds of awards are given as incentives. There are schemes for Book-Bank and scholarships to enable the meritorious students to pursue higher studies abroad and special coaching to professional courses, entrance examinations of various fields. The education policy for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes also covers computer education at the High/Higher Secondary schools.

Computer Education is being taught in 85 High/Higher Secondary schools functioning under Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department.

Ø       Computer training is imparted to the teachers working in 58 High Schools and 65 Higher Secondary schools in  Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department. Laboratory Buildings have been constructed at a cost of Rs.78 lakhs in 15 Higher Secondary schools and Laboratory equipments at a cost of Rs.26 lakhs have been installed.

Ø       In 49 High Schools, Laboratory buildings have been constructed at a cost of Rs.2.06 crores and laboratory equipments have been installed at a cost of Rs.21.50 lakhs.

Ø       Two sets of Uniforms are being supplied free of cost every year to all the students’ upto 12th Standard. During the current financial year, a sum of Rs.6.87 crores is allocated for this scheme.

Ø       New Buildings and additional classrooms are under construction at a cost of Rs.0.69 crore in 7 schools. During 2001-2002 a sum of Rs.1.44 crores is allocated for the construction of additional classrooms and laboratory buildings.

Ø       So far, 100 primary schools have been upgraded as Middle schools, 26 Middle schools as High schools and 23 High schools as Higher Secondary schools. 19 Government Tribal Residential schools have been opened. Upgradation of schools is being done to avoid drop out of children from schools. Textbooks and Notebooks are supplied free of cost to all students of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. For the financial year 2001-2002 a sum of Rs.11.39 crores is allocated for this scheme.

Ø       During this year a sum of Rs.2.89 crores under the State scheme and a sum of Rs.3.40 crores under the Central Scheme are allocated for grant of Pre-Matric Scholarship.

Ø       During this year a sum of Rs.2.20 crores under State Special Post-matric scholarship scheme and a sum of Rs.34.28 crores under Government of India Post-matric scholarship scheme are provided for the purpose.

Ø       Orders were issued to the effect that the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/Scheduled Caste Convert students studying in Self Financing Colleges under the free seats category be sanctioned tuition fee concession to the extent of tuition fee fixed for the courses in Government / Government aided Institutions, whose Parental / Guardian’s income is below Rs.50,920/- per annum with effect from 1999-2000. For the Degree, Post Graduate Degree and Professional Courses students who are staying in hostels and incurring more expenditure than the eligible educational scholarship amount, the excess amount is sanctioned as loan scholarship to them. A sum of Rs.6,500/- to Graduate students and a sum of Rs.7,000/- to Professional and Post Graduate students are sanctioned as loan every year. Under this scheme, a sum of Rs.4.62 crores is allocated for 2001-2002.

Ø       The Prize amount of Rs.2000/-, Rs.4000/- and Rs.5000/- is given to the Boys/Girls students who secure 60% of marks and pass in Bachelor degree, Post Graduate and Professional course. During the current year, a sum of Rs.18.50 lakhs is allocated for this scheme.

Ø       Students who are studying Graduate, Post Graduate courses in Professional education have been exempted from the payment of registration and admission fees since 1999-2000.

Ø       A Tribal Residential Higher Secondary School was opened during 1998-99 and action is being taken to construct Model Residential Higher Secondary School at a cost of Rs.1.00 crore at Vellimalai in Kalrayan Hills in Villupuram District with the funds allotted for this purpose.  Under Book Bank scheme, a sum of Rs.2400/- to Rs.7500/- is being sanctioned for purchase of books to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students studying Medicine, Engineering, Agriculture, Veterinary, Polytechnics, Law, Master of Business Administration, Chartered Accountant, Bio-Sciences and Post Graduate Studies in Professional courses and similar other technical courses.

Ø       A sum of Rs.9.00 lakhs has been sanctioned as a one time grant to 180 Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Law Graduates at Rs.5000/- to carry on their legal profession independently.

Realising the importance of education and its impact on the society, the following new schemes have been formulated by this Government :

From the academic year 2001-2002 free Bicycles will be provided to all SC/ST and SC Convert Girl students studying in Standards XI and XII.

"This Government will launch free education programme upto post graduation level for Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare girl students. This Government have decided that gradually the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare schools may be brought to the mainstream and a committee will be formed in each of the schools consisting of members of Parent-Teachers Association/ District/Assistant Educational Officers/ members belonging to the SC/ST Community to see that       adequate SC/ST students are admitted in each of the schools, with a special focus on Girl students.

Yearly allocation for construction of hostel building at the pace of 5-6 hostel buildings will take a long time for construction. Therefore, this Government has decided to construct buildings for hostels in a phased manner. A sum of Rs. 25 crores has been provided during the year 2001-2002 for this purpose.

The existing food charges paid to the SC/ST students who stay in hostels are considered to be inadequate, hence the food charges have been raised from Rs.225/- to Rs.300/- per boarder.

Based on the representations, this Government has decided to construct Youth Hostels and Working Women’s Hostels to meet the requirement of the low paid SC/ST women employees in major cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Salem.

 II.RESERVATION

This Government proposes to restore G.O.Ms.44 to enable to fill up all the backlog vacancies in all categories.

III.ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

There are number of schemes for the economic development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes implemented by the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation, which was exclusively set up in the year 1974 and it has been functioning since 15.02.1974. The main activities of TAHDCO are divided into two broad divisions i.e., Technical and Development Wing :

The following construction activities are done by the Technical Wing:-

1 Hostels, School Buildings and Lab Buildings 

2 Teachers Quarters

3 Community Halls

4 Balwadies

5 Construction of class rooms (under operation Black Board Scheme)

6  Science Lab

7. Shopping Complex

8. Training Centres

9.  Industrial Estate 

DEVELOPMENT WING

Since 1980-81 this Corporation has paid special attention for the upliftment of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and need based economic activities are formulated and implemented so as to bring about a better standard of living of SC/ST people who are living below poverty line.  With the financial support under the Special Central Assistance, the Corporation is implementing the following schemes:-

i. Agricultural and Allied Activities
ii.  Self Employment Schemes
iii.  Schemes Implemented through line Departments
iv   Rehabilitation of Scavengers
v   Girl Child Education Incentive Scheme
vi   Special Schemes for Women
vii  Training Programme
viii. Schemes specially meant for Scheduled Tribes 
ix.  Schemes with the term loan assistance of NSFDC 
x.   Schemes with the term loan assistance of NSKFDC
xi.  Formation of Industrial Estate at Ingur and Mudalipalayam

 This Government proposes to continue all the above schemes. In order to facilitate convergence of all the schemes with the Rural Development wing at the Panchayat Union level, 500 villages have been selected, under the TAHDCO village scheme.  Inspite of the above on-going schemes, the statistics below reveal the economic status of the Scheduled Castes.

1. a)  Percentage of landless labourers among Scheduled Castes is 29.49% and Scheduled Tribes is 16.20%.
2. 
   b) People below poverty line among Scheduled Castes is 11,16,291 and Scheduled Tribes is 76,844.
3.  
4.  

 The above statistics reveal that the fruits of economic benefit have not trickled down to the extent it is desired.  Therefore, the Government has decided that allocation for Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes and Tribal Sub Plan for Tribal Welfare would commensurate with the population of SC/ST. Hon’ble Chief Minister has proposed to review the progress and achievements under the Special Component Plan and Tribal Sub Plan on a regular basis. The TAHDCO will be re-structured to source more funds from the Government of India for Scheduled Castes and Tribal Welfare economic development schemes.

In order to ensure financial empowerment of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes families the State through Agriculture department propose to encourage cultivation of nutritious dry crops like kambu, cholam, ragi, varagu, samai, thinai etc., and certain pulses through the Special Component Plan of the Agriculture department. Thus the Government will ensure that not only food security and employment for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes families are created but also the improvement of nutrition level.  The Government proposes to organise Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes women into self-help groups and give them job oriented vocational training for self-employment. For the current year 20,000 women will be covered under this scheme.

The Government are also taking efforts to channelise due share of Special Component Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan through the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department for effective implementation and monitoring. Efforts are being taken to plan, implement and monitor SCP/TSP at the District and Panchayat Union levels.  With a view to ensure that the schemes envisaged for the welfare of tribals reach the eligible tribal people and for examining the day to day problems of tribals, a separate Directorate of Tribal Development headed by an I.A.S. Officer is functioning with effect from 1.4.2000. <>

IV SCHEME OF LIBERATION AND REHABILITATION OF SCAVENGERS AND THEIR DEPENDANTS        

This scheme was launched to eliminate the inherent practice of handling night soil filth and to provide alternate employment to scavengers and their dependants. Under the scheme the scavengers and their dependants are imparted training under alternative trades.

It is proposed to conduct survey of scavengers employed in cleaning of dry latrines in order to liberate them. After the survey they will be organised under groups on the pattern of self-help groups and capacity building, upgradation of their skills will be taken up.

To rehabilitate the scavengers and their dependants the Government of India have introduced a new concept by name “SANITARY  MART”. Under this scheme scavengers and their dependants may form groups consisting of 20 to 25 members. Each member is given a financial  assistance of Rs.20,000 consisting of subsidy of  Rs.10,000 (50%)

Margin Money                : Rs.  3,000 (15%)

& NSKFDC Term Loan   : Rs.  7,000 (35%)

So far 2530 beneficiaries were covered under this scheme.

Sanitary Marts deal with following items :

1. 1  Manufacture of Bleaching powder
2. 2  Manufacture of Phenyl
3. 3  Maintenance of pay & use toilets in Railway stations 
4. 4  Manufacture of hollow block cements
5. 5  Manufacture of candles
6. 6  Grocery business and other viable scheme

IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTS PERTAINING TO PROTECTION OF CIVIL RIGHTS, PREVENTION OF   ATROCITIES AGAINST SCHEDULED CASTES AND ABOLITION OF BONDED LABOUR

With a view to prevent atrocities on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled  Tribes a separate P.C.R. wing, is functioning under the control of one Director General of Police and one   Additional Director General of Police with headquarters at Chennai. Inspector General of Police in the headquarters and 7 Deputy Superintendents of Police and 34 Inspectors assist the Director General of Police in the Districts. The nature of cases registered mostly pertain to quarrels, using caste name in abusive language due to previous enemities and atrocities against Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe. Periodical reviews are conducted on the working of these wings.

A District Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee has also been set up under the Chairmanship of the Collector to review the implementation of the provision of the Act, relief and rehabilitation facilities provided to the victims and other matters connected therewith. The District Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meets once in three months. Committee discusses in greater depth about the implementation of the provisions of the Act and the need for eradicating the stigma of untouchability.  The Collectors have been instructed to disburse the monetary relief without delay and see that caste clashes are averted in sensitive area by taking timely action.

 ABOLITION OF BONDED LABOUR The State of Tamil Nadu has evinced keen interest in the matter of abolition and rehabilitation of Bonded Labour. The Government passed specific order giving the responsibility of releasing and rehabilitation to the District Collector who is in charge of the district administration.   Review meetings are conducted regularly at the state level. Hon’ble Chief Minister has directed that all the cases of bonded labourers that have been reported for which the enquiry has not been conducted or where no efforts have been taken to release and rehabilitate them, immediate action should be taken to release them. A sum of Rs.5.78 crores was sanctioned for rehabilitation of Bonded labourers during 2000-2001. The International Labour Organisation has recognised the efforts taken by this Government and has come forward to assist the Government of Tamil Nadu in redressing the bonded labour problem through Government of India.

1. V < b> < b>WELFARE SCHEMES FOR   SCHEDULED CASTES AND SCHEDULED TRIBES

(a) HOUSE SITE PATTAS

The aim of this scheme is to issue house site pattas to the poor Adi Dravidars and Tribals who do not have house sites.

During 2001-2002, a sum of Rs.18.60 crores is allocated. Approximately 50,000 house-site pattas are being distributed every year. It would be appropriate to create infrastructure facilities like road, water and electricity to the places where house-site pattas were already given and to the places currently being provided. Hence, the existing allocation under the head ‘House site pattas’ will be partially utilised for creating infrastructure facilities also.

(b) HOUSING FOR ADI DRAVIDARS

The scheme of construction of houses, is implemented for the provision of houses to the Adi Dravidar and Scheduled Tribe families, who do not have sources to find own shelter for themselves. This scheme is implemented through the Rural Development Department, with the financial assistance of Central and State Governments. In 2001-2002 a sum of Rs.31.87 crores is allocated for this purpose.

(c) HOUSING FOR TRIBALS

Since the Tribals are living in hills and forest areas the houses are constructed through respected Panchayat Unions adopting the Indira Awaaz Yojana pattern. At present house in plains costs Rs.32,000/- and in hills Rs.34,000/-. Full cost of the scheme for Tribals is borne by the Tribal Welfare Department.

During 2001-2002, a sum of Rs.132.75 lakhs is allocated for this purpose.

VII. TRIBAL WELFARE SCHEMES

The population of Scheduled Tribes in Tamil Nadu is 5.74 lakhs constituting 1.03% to the total population. There are 36 Scheduled Tribe communities living in Tamil Nadu. They are 1. Adiyan 2.Aranandam   3. Eravallan 4. Irular 5.Kadar 6. Kammara (excluding Kanyakumari district and Shenkottah taluk of Tirunelveli district) 7. Kanikaran, Kanikkar (excluding Kanyakumari district and Shenkottah taluk of Tirunelveli district )     8.Kaniyan, Kanyan 9. Kattunayakan 10. Kochu Velan 11. Konda kapus 12. Kondareddis 13. Koraga 14. Kota (excluding Kanyakumari district and Shenkottah Taluk of Tirunelveli district) 15. Kudiyal Melakudi 16. Kurichchan 17. Kurumbas (in the Nilgiris district) 18. Kurumans   19. Maha Malasar 20. Malai Arayan 21. Malai pandaram 22. Malai Vedan 23. Malakkuravan 24. Malasar 25. Malayali (in Dharmapuri, North Arcot, Pudukottai, Salem, South Arcot and Tiruchirappalli districts) 26. Malayakandi 27. Mannan 28. Mudugar, Muduvan 29. Muthuvan 30. Pallayan 31. Palliyan 32. Palliyar 33. Paniyan 34. Sholaga 35. Toda (excluding Kanyakumari district and Shenkottah taluk of Tirunelveli district) 36. Uraly. Their concentration is mainly in 13 districts. For the overall development of the Tribals, Tribal Sub Plan is implemented by mobilizing the resources available in the various Departments. For implementing the Tribal Sub Plan, the following areas of Tribal concentration were identified and these areas receive more attention: