KERALA PLANNING BOARD

1. In G.O.(MS) No. 54/2003/Plg. dated 31-05-2003 it is stipulated that at least 50% of the Tribal Sub Plan Funds should be earmarked for providing a package of services to the poorest of the poor among Scheduled Tribes. The identification would be done by the Oorukuttams on the basis of the criteria adopted for Ashraya.
2. The following package can be given to eligible Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries.
2.1 Food
2.1.1 All tribal destitutes above the age of 65 years should be provided food grains under Annapoorna Programme.
2.1.2 The tribal destitute families which face extreme poverty and there is no source of income, not even pension may be provided food grains under Antyodaya Anna Yojana Programme. The cost of food grains can be met from the Tribal Sub Plan Funds of local government and it should be directly remitted in the ARD shop where ration cards of the families have registered.
2.1.3 Provide employment opportunities to members of Scheduled Tribe destitute families under Food for Work Programmes like SGRY to ensure wage employment and supply of food grains.
2.1.4 The distribution of food grains under the Food Support Programme of Scheduled Tribes Development Department may be through the network of Tribal Neighbourhood Groups of Kudumbasree.
2.1.5 Serve food through anganwadies for the Scheduled Tribe destitute families who are physically and mentally challenged (disabled) and persons affected by chronic and incurable diseases, and very old persons with nobody in the family able enough to prepare food. The responsibility for this can be entrusted to Tribal Neighbourhood Groups and Area Development Societies of Kudumbasree. The expenses for cooking and serving food to the above category of destitutes can be met from the Tribal Sub Plan funds of the local government. The amount required for one month for this purpose can be given as advance to Area Development Societies.

2.2 Health Care
2.2.1 Special efforts may be taken by local governments to utilise the services available in the transferred institutions for the special care of tribal destitutes who suffer from T.B., Leprosy, Cancer, AIDS, Cardiac/Kidney/ Neuro diseases.
2.2.2 The services of specialist doctors available in the Medical Colleges and District/ General Hospitals may be availed of for the treatment of patients of above category. Special medical camps can be arranged for this purpose by utilising the funds under Tribal Sub Plan.
2.2.3 Efforts may be made by local governments to persuade the speciality hospitals in the private sector functioning within the area of local government to sponsor the treatment of chronic patients of tribal destitutes at free of cost.
2.2.4 The local government may initiate action to obtain assistance from Distress Relief Fund of Chief Minister/Prime Minister/Minister for Welfare of Backward and Scheduled Communities, for the treatment of Scheduled Tribe destitutes.
2.2.5 Those tribal destitute patients who are in need of medicines have to be provided medicines free of cost. This may be done utilizing the funds available with the PHC / other government hospitals or, if required, from the Tribal Sub Plan Fund. To ensure transparency a Technical Committee of medical experts would decide on the medicines required and procure them and hand them over to the patients. The Tribal Neighbourhood Group would ensure that the medicines are properly administered.
2.2.6 Philanthropists and charitable organizations may be requested to sponsor the treatment of tribal destitutes. Such sponsors can be identified by conducting awareness camps, seminars etc.
2.2.7 A corps of voluntary health workers may be constituted at the local government level to render assistance to Scheduled Tribe destitutes to solve their health problems.
2.3 Assistance to Physically and Mentally Challenged (Disabled)
2.3.1 The allocation under TSP of Centrally Sponsored Schemes such as Indira Awaz Yojana, Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana may be spent on priority basis for the tribal destitute families having disabled persons.
2.3.2 Promote skill development programmes for Scheduled Tribe destitutes through the involvement of agencies such as Kerala State Handicapped Persons Welfare Corporation, Kerala Federation of the Blind etc.
2.3.3 Local governments should promote employment oriented projects for the disabled in the tribal destitute families by utilising the provisions under Tribal Sub Plan.
2.3.4 Local governments may initiate action for obtaining financial assistance for employment oriented projects for the tribal disabled from Central/State Social Welfare Advisory Board.
2.4 Local Governments should give top priority for distribution of old age and other pensions to the eligible beneficiaries of tribal destitute families.
2.5 House sites
2.5.1 Local governments have to provide house sites to all landless tribal destitute families before providing them to other tribal BPL families. The Tribal Sub Plan fund can be used for this purpose.
2.5.2 Rehabilitation scheme may also be taken up under Corpus Fund of Scheduled Tribes Development Department.
2.5.3 For rehabilitation of tribal destitute families land to the extent of minimum three cents in rural areas and 1½ cents in urban areas may be identified by the beneficiaries themselves and the actual cost subject to a ceiling of Rs. 19,500 in rural areas, Rs. 20,000 in Municipal areas and Rs.25,000 in Corporation areas may be paid to the land owner directly.
2.6 Housing
2.6.1 All houseless tribal destitute families having enough land for construction of a house should be provided with a house on a priority basis before covering other eligible BPL families.
2.6.2 The construction of houses for tribal destitute families should be done through the Tribal Neighbourhood Groups or Voluntary Agencies.
2.7 Drinking water
2.7.1 Public stand posts, nearest to the houses of tribal destitute families may be erected in the existing water supply projects.
2.7.2 Drinking water projects benefiting the tribal settlements may be initiated under Tribal Sub Plan.
2.7.3 In the case of newly started water supply projects preference may be given to areas with large number of tribal destitute families.
2.7.4 Open draw wells in tribal settlements may also be constructed.
2.8 Education
2.8.1 Ooru based survey may be conducted before the reopening of schools, for identifying Scheduled Tribe children who have not joined in schools and making arrangements for admitting them in schools.
2.8.2 Efforts may also be taken to re-admit the dropouts in the school, so as to ensure that all tribal children below the age of 18 years irrespective of their family status continue their studies.
2.8.3 All tribal students, including students belonging to tribal destitute families, who have not admitted in pre-metric hostels, should be provided with study materials, uniform etc. by meeting the expenses from the Tribal Sub Plan funds of local government. The pattern of assistance that can be given under this package is explained below:

Item		Annual Allowance (Maximum) (Rs.)
(a) For school uniform (i) Students in lower primary standards (ii) Students in upper primary standards (iii) Students in high school standards	: : :	500 600 800
(b) Purchase of note books, stationary etc (i) Students in lower primary standards (ii) Students in upper primary standards (iii) Students in high school standards	: : :	200 250 400
(c) School kit for students in all standards (containing umbrella, chappels/shoes, school bag, pencil, pen etc.)	:	500

2.8.4 The above assistance to tribal students need be sanctioned only by Village Panchayats and Urban Local Governments.
2.8.5 Special coaching may be arranged to ensure the improvement of the educational level of children belonging to all tribal families. For this purpose a Support Group may be formed at the local government level, consisting of qualified graduates, college students, school teachers, literacy prerakhs etc. The organisational expenses of the Support Group can be met form the funds under Tribal Sub Plan. But, honorarium shall not be paid for the purpose.
2.9 Social deprivation
2.9.1 Community Development Societies should initiate steps for enlisting the members of tribal destitute families in the Tribal Neighbourhood Groups so as to avoid their social exclusion.
2.9.2 The execution, supervision and monitoring of projects under rehabilitation of tribal destitute families should be entrusted to the respective Oorukuttams.
2.9.3 Local governments may take initiatives with the involvement of Oorukuttams to bring the problems of tribal destitutes to the attention of the general public, organise awareness activities and conduct survey for identification of tribal destitutes.
2.9.4 Local governments may arrange counselling to develop the innate potential of the members of tribal destitute families to improve their capacity and confidence to mingle with the community.
2.9.5 Training programmes for building up the mental and physical efficiency of tribal destitutes may be conducted by the local governments with the professional advice of psychologists and experts by utilising the funds under Tribal Sub Plan.