Mangaluru : Minister for Social Welfare Department H. Anjaneya announced a Rs. 10 crore package for the overall development of the community. After staying at a tribal hamlet of Koraga community near here on Friday.

He asked the district administration to liaison with owners of vast extents of land for purchase at three times the guidance value. The land so purchased by the government could be distributed among landless tribal people for cultivation as well as residential purposes, he said.

Announcing the package on Saturday, Mr. Anjaneya said he heard the grievances of the Koraga community as well as other tribal people during the Haadi Vaastavya at Kerekadu in Padupanambur gram panchayat, Mulki Hobli. He said he attempted to solve several problems on the spot and distributed cheques, title deeds and other facilities to the beneficiaries.

The Minister has directed the Karnataka State Scheduled Tribes Research Institution, Mysuru, and the Health and Family Welfare Department to study the reasons behind the declining population of Koragas. While there were 6,327 Koragas during the 2001 Census, the numbers reduced to 4,858 during the 2011 Census in Dakshina Kannada, he said.

The package included Rs. 1 crore towards house repair or construction of bath rooms for 200 each dwellings of Koragas in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. He would also take steps to enhance the unit-wise construction cost of new houses for Koragas from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 3 lakh. At the same time, he gave a cheque for Rs. 12 lakh for construction of a community hall at Kerekadu.

The Minister said he has directed the district administration to issue khatas in favour of beneficiaries of houses, an issue pending for a long time. A special campaign should be undertaken for the purpose and the process should be completed within one month.

Meanwhile, the department would consider providing unemployment allowance for two years to eligible Koraga youth depending on their educational qualification. The Minister also sanctioned a pure drinking water unit to be set up at Kerekadu at a cost of Rs. 6 lakh.

He sanctioned Rs. 1 crore to provide basic infrastructure at Scheduled Tribe colonies in Padupanambur gram panchayat limits. The Minister also ordered release of Rs. 4.12 crore grant to provide nutritious food, including one kilogram ghee, to Koraga and Malekudiya tribal people in the district during six months of monsoon.

The Minister also directed the administration to provide free bus passes to all Koraga students to facilitate their education.

MLA Moideen Bava, Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim and others were present.