A.P. govt. to build houses for Primitive Tribal Groups in State

Andhra Pradesh government to provide housing, infrastructure, education, and healthcare facilities for Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) in the state.

Considering the Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs)‘ population as the most vulnerable in the State, the State government has decided to construct houses for all the people of these groups at their habitations, said Gummidi Sandhya Rani, the Minister for Tribal Welfare.

She held a review meeting with the officials of the department on June 25 (Tuesday) at the Secretariat, where she instructed them to prepare an action plan for providing housing facilities to the PTGs. 

Ms. Rani told The Hindu that there were about five lakh people in the State, belonging to PTGs, and they would be provided housing, electricity, water supply and other minimum facilities. In the initial phase, the hamlets of the PTGs would be identified and the necessary infrastructure would be provided there. If any PTG people were living isolated on hills, they would also be provided a house.

Both Central and State governments would together fund the housing of these people, she added.

It is pertinent to mention that the Government of India identified 12 tribal groups — Chenchu, Kolam, Kondareddi, Dongria Khond, Kuttia Khond, Konda Savara, Bodo Gadaba, Gutob Gadaba, Bondo Porja, Khond Porja, Parangi Porja and Thoti — as the PTGs in Andhra Pradesh.

Later, addressing the media at the Secretariat, the Minister said that the State government was giving the highest priority to the safety, security, education, health and road infrastructure of the tribal population across the State. There should not be any school dropouts in the tribal areas, she said.