Nutrition kits sought for tribespeople in Tamil Nadu

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The Tamil Nadu Tribal People’s Association has urged the State government to introduce a monthly nutrition kit for tribal people in the State on the lines of the scheme implemented in Karnataka.

A resolution to this effect was adopted at the Erode district council meeting of the association held in Sathyamangalam recently.

Senior association leader V.P. Gunasekaran and CPI district (north) secretary S. Mohan Kumar explained the demands to be raised at the special State conference to be held in Chennai. The association said tribespeople lost an important source of animal protein after hunting in forests was prohibited. Tribeswomen were particularly vulnerable to anaemia, while children in tribal settlements often did not attain age-appropriate weight and height, the association said.

It pointed out that the Karnataka government provided tribal communities with a monthly nutrition package comprising ragi, eggs, ghee, cooking oil, pulses and lentils to address nutritional deficiencies. The State government should introduce a similar scheme, the association said.

The association also said the Union and State governments allocated crores of rupees every year under the Tribal Sub-Plan for tribal welfare. The funds could be utilised to implement the nutrition programme without imposing an additional financial burden on the State, it said.

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