₹377.83 crore being spent on new medical facilities in the Nilgiris: Health Minister

Tourism Minister K.Ramachandran and Health Minister Ma. Subramanian honoring tribal people for their contributions in Udhagamandalam on Friday.
| Photo Credit: M. SATHYAMOORTHY

State Health Minister Ma. Subramanian said that ₹377.83 crore is being spent on building new and upgrading existing medical facilities in the Nilgiris.

At an event to commemorate the International Day of World’s Indigenous People in the Nilgiris on Friday, Mr. Subramanian said 32 buildings, including the Medical College and Hospital in Udhagamandalam, government hospitals and Primary Health Centres were being constructed in the Nilgiris.

Moreover, a total of more than 5.23 lakh people benefitted from the “Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam” scheme in the district, he said.

State Tourism Minister and Coonoor MLA, K. Ramachandran said the International Day of World’s Indigenous People was celebrated across the world on August 9. The aim of the celebrations was to reinforce the commitment towards ensuring human rights of indigenous communities, protecting the environment, and ensuring their upward social mobility.

He said there were six tribal communities in Tamil Nadu – The Irulas, Kurumbas, Paniyas, Kattunayakans, Kotas and the Todas. There were a total of almost 34,000 members of indigenous communities living in the Nilgiris. A total of 100 traditional medical practitioners from tribal communities, who had been selected in 2021, were being given a stipend of ₹50,000 each. The government was also providing funds for tribal schools to set up community gardens, and for artisans to produce furniture from invasive plants like Lantana camara.

He added that the government had also earmarked ₹2 crore to document tribal languages. Mr. Ramachandran also added that ₹1,000 crore had been earmarked by the government to help raise the standard of living of tribal people under the “Tholkudi” scheme.