Universities join the Governor’s Mission to Support and Empower Primitive Tribal Groups

Hyderabad, June 29: Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan on Tuesday appreciated the universities for their willingness to join hands in her initiative to improve the nutritional status and empower the people belonging to the primitive tribal groups in the State.

Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, who is also the Chancellor of the State universities, held an elaborate meeting with the Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) authorities, Vice-Chancellors of four universities, and the functionaries of the Indian Red Cross Society, ESIC Medical College, and the National Institute of Nutrition scientists at Raj Bhavan, here.

She exhorted them to come out with practical interventional methods and get into the action to address the health, nutritional, and other developmental gaps among the primitive tribal groups found in a joint survey by the NIN, ESIC medical college, and the Raj Bhavan earlier

“I am concerned that there are many health and nutritional gaps among the primitive tribal people. We must improve their nutritional and health status, while empowering them through capacity building and linkages,” she added.

The Governor asked the Agricultural, Horticultural, and Veterinary universities to train the tribal population in farming methods and help them develop through agriculture, animal husbandry, and horticulture.

“Though they (primitive tribal people) have lands, water, and other resources, they are not cultivating their lands on their own. Instead, they are working as labourers in their own lands. The capacity-building trainings, and input supplies need to be expedited so as economically empower them,” she added.

The Governor also directed the Kaloji Narayana Rao University Health Sciences, ESIC Medical College, and the NIN to work for the improvement of health and nutritional status of the tribal people through their interventions and services.

Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan also called for the vaccination of all the primitive tribal people by taking our services to their doorstep. “It is important to protect them as they are the most vulnerable sections. I suggest time-bound action plan to get tangible results so as to support the underprivileged sections,” she said.

The Governor listened to the presentations detailing their interventional strategies made by the universities, NIN, ESIC Medical College, and the IRCS functionaries.

The initiative to improve the nutritional status and empower the primitive tribal groups through enabling and capacity-building activities will be taken up in select tribal habitations in Adilabad, Nagarkurnool, and Bhadradri-Kothagudem districts on a pilot basis.

The pilot programme is aimed at helping the people belonging to Chenchu, Konda Reddi, and Kollam tribes.

Telangana State Council of Higher Education Chairman Prof. T. Papi Reddy, Vice-Chairmen Prof. V. Venkata Ramana, and Prof. R. Limbadri, Prof. Jaya Shankar TS Agricultural University vice-chancellor Prof. Praveen Rao, health sciences university VC Prof. Karunakar Reddy, horticultural university VC Prof. Ravinder Reddy, NIN Director Dr. Hema Latha, scientist Dr. Srinivas, ESIC Medical College Dean Dr. Srinivas, IRCS representative Madan Mohan Rao and Rajsekhar were among others who spoke.

Secretary to Governor K. Surendra Mohan and senior officials of the Raj Bhavan were present.