A tribal training campaign and the launch of the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribe Component project were organised by the ICAR–Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, in association with the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Tiruppur Division, at Chinnar in Tiruppur district on March 4.
Inaugurating the programme, V. Thirunavukkarasu, Principal of the Central Academy for State Forest Service, Coimbatore, emphasised that education and health are crucial for the empowerment of tribal communities.
The programme began with songs by members of the tribal community and the administration of a pledge against malnutrition.
He urged residents of seven tribal settlements adopted under the project to work towards eliminating malnutrition among women and children and to make effective use of the training initiatives to enhance their knowledge and improve their quality of life.
P. Govindaraj, Director of ICAR–Sugarcane Breeding Institute, in his presidential address highlighted the progress achieved under the project since 2021 and commended tribal farmers for sustaining agriculture under difficult conditions.
D. Puthira Prathap, Principal Scientist and Nodal Officer of the project, said seven tribal settlements — Aattumalai, Porupparu, Manjampatti, Karumutti, Karattupathy, Thippipparai and Poochakottampaarai — inhabited by the Mudhuvar and Malasar tribes have been adopted under the initiative. B. Rajesh, Deputy Director of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, emphasised the need to discourage underage marriages and assured continued support for tribal development programmes.
Training sessions on millet value addition and entrepreneurship development were conducted by Saraswathy Eswaran, while G. V. Rajalingam spoke on establishing nutrition gardens and cultivating ginger and pepper in hilly regions.
Officials including R. Gopi, P. Geetha and V. Pugazhenthi participated in the programme. Beneficiaries also received power tillers, irrigation pipes, farm tools, kitchen garden kits, seeds and areca seedlings as part of the campaign.
