Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 20 (PTI) Kerala Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backward Classes O R Kelu announced on Thursday that 10,000 new houses will be allotted to Scheduled Tribes (ST) under the Secure Accommodation and Facility Enhancement (SAFE) scheme, aimed at completing unfinished houses.

During the discussion on the demand for grants in the Assembly, the minister also stated that land would be provided to 3,340 more individuals.

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"All Scheduled Tribe families in Kannur, Malappuram, Thrissur, and Kollam districts will be ensured land, making Kerala the first state where no tribal families remain landless," he said.

Additionally, 6,000 study rooms will be provided for tribal students, and a regional study will be conducted in collaboration with Sree Narayana Guru Open University to assess the impact of Gandhian and Narayana Guru's philosophies on social change.

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Under the 'Samrudhi Keralam' scheme, 1,000 enterprises will be launched, with an additional Rs 10 lakh in assistance for existing businesses, he added.

Skill training and employment opportunities will be provided to 50,000 educated individuals, with job placements limited to those registered on the Digital Workforce Management System portal, according to the minister.

The Training for Career Excellence (TRACE) project will offer internships with honorariums to 1,000 people, including those who have completed the Junior Diploma in Co-operation (JDC), Higher Diploma in Co-operation (HDC), and Journalism courses.

Heritage tourism and ethnic food startups, modelled after 'En Ooru', a programme designed to generate employment for tribal communities, will be launched in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Idukki, and Kannur to boost income and job opportunities for tribal people, he added.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Scheduled Tribes Development Department, an international conclave and a national tribal festival will be organised to showcase achievements and global experiences.

Various corporations under the department will be coordinated to allocate Rs 1,200 crore for business assistance.

Post-matric hostels will be established in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, and Kannur, the minister added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)