Land for livelihood to Tribal Families

During the past one and a half years the LDF Government has been undertaking exemplary measures to mitigate the miseries of the tribal folk. There was simmering discontent among them in the days of the previous Government. They had agitated for a piece of farmland for each family, which could help them to eke out a living by cultivation and build a hut or a humble homestead. But the former UDF Government ruthlessly suppressed that agitation and put hundreds of them in jails. When the LDF came to power several Adivasis had already pitched their huts in forestlands in Wayanad. Government gave strict instructions not to destroy those huts or evict them. Government wanted to settle them with peace and enable them to pursue their avocations. Accordingly steps were taken to distribute farmlands for deserving tribal families from available lands. Earlier the Government had taken over one half of the land of the State farm at Aaralam. It was decided to distribute plots for farming to the deprived. Adivasi families from this land. Selection of beneficiary families was made under the District Collector of Kannur with the cooperation of people’s representatives. They selected 1717 beneficiary families. These families were given proprietary documents of farmlands of one acre each in a public function at Pala Higher Secondary School near Iritty. The majority of those who came on the stage to receive the documents had been either subjected to violence or imprisoned on account of their “land for livelihood” agitation during UDF rule. That Smt. C.K. Janu subjected to severe torture for leading the agitation spoke on the occasion was proof enough that the Government has had the support of the entire tribal folk.

It has been estimated there are 22482 landless tribal families in the State. The number of families holding less than one acre of land is 32,000/-. The approach of the LDF Government, the Chief Minister declared would be to give at least one acre of land to each tribal family. Government is trying to achieve this goal.