Alleging that the Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) in the State were starved of funds during the previous BRS government, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said that the Congress government will revive the past glory of the ITDAs in the Indiramma Rajyam.
The ITDAs will be revitalised and the Indira Jala Prabha (IJP) scheme will be revived to ensure the assured source of irrigation and sustainable livelihood for tribal farmers, the Deputy Chief Minister said.
Addressing the ITDA-Bhadrachalam governing body meeting in the temple town on Sunday, he said that agriculture pump set connections were provided to tribal farmers on subsidy under the IJP during the then Congress government.
The government will soon re-launch the IJP to benefit tribal farmers, he said, adding that interest-free loans will be disbursed to women members of the DWCRA groups shortly.
It is the then Congress government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that brought the Forest Rights Act 2006 under the aegis of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi as part of its slew of initiatives for tribal empowerment, he said, and recalled that around 3.50 lakh pattas were distributed to tribal farmers under the FRA in Bhadrachalam by then Chief Minister the late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy during the Congress rule in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh.
Plans are afoot to promote horticultural crops and oil palm cultivation by tribal farmers in the Agency areas, he said.
Embolden schools
He added that the government would accord top priority to strengthen all State-run schools, including the tribal welfare residential educational institutions and healthcare services in the Agency areas for enhancing the learning outcomes.
Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswara Rao, and Minister for Roads and Buildings K. Venkat Reddy, also spoke.
