05/03/2026
๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต ๐ถ๐ป ๐ง๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐
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A ๐๐ณ๐ช๐ฃ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ณ๐ข๐ช๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ข๐ช๐จ๐ฏ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ข๐ถ๐ฏ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ (Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribe Component) project in Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu was organised by ICAR โ Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI), Coimbatore, in association with Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR), Tiruppur Division, at Chinnar in Tiruppur district on March 4, 2026.
Inaugurating the programme, Shri V. Thirunavukkarasu, IFS, Principal, Central Academy for State Forest Service, Coimbatore, underscored that health and education are the cornerstones of tribal empowerment. He lauded ICAR-SBI for initiating the campaign, which began with songs by members of the tribal community and the administration of a โpledge against malnutritionโ. He urged residents of the seven tribal settlements adopted by the Institute in ATR to work towards eliminating malnutrition among women and children and to utilise the training initiatives to enhance their knowledge and improve their quality of life.
In his Presidential address, Dr. P. Govindaraj, Director, ICAR-SBI, highlighted the progress achieved under the DAPSTC project since 2021. Recalling a challenging visit to the remote Aattumalai settlement , with the DAPSTC team for needs assessment, he commended the tribal farmers for sustaining agriculture in the region, under difficult conditions.
He also cited the successful millet-based entrepreneurship initiatives implemented in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and encouraged beneficiaries in ATR to make effective use of the support extended by the Institute.
Earlier, Dr. D. Puthira Prathap, Principal Scientist and Nodal Officer of the DAPSTC project, explained that the Institute conducts need-based training campaigns and distributes inputs aimed at holistic tribal development. Seven settlementsโAattumalai, Porupparu, Manjampatti, Karumutti, Karattupathy, Thippipparai and Poochakottampaaraiโinhabited by the ๐๐ถ๐ฅ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ท๐ข๐ณ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ด๐ข๐ณ tribes, have been adopted under the project. Referring to the success of the โ๐๐๐๐ง๐ขโ tribe in establishing Tamil Naduโs first tribal start-up for processing and marketing organic produce such as pepper, he encouraged participants to explore entrepreneurship opportunities.
Shri B. Rajesh, Deputy Director, ATR, stressed the importance of discouraging underage marriages, as highlighted in the malnutrition pledge, and assured ATRโs continued support for the project. Tribal leaders (๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ข๐ฏ๐ด) Shri Kanniyappan and Shri Silan expressed satisfaction over the initiativeโs focus on knowledge enhancement and economic development.
Training sessions on millet value addition and entrepreneurship development were conducted by Prof. Saraswathy Eswaran, while Dr. G. V. Rajalingam spoke on establishing nutrition gardens and cultivating ginger and pepper in hilly regions. Dr.R. Gopi, Dr. P. Geetha, Shri V. Pugazhenthi and other senior officials from ICAR-SBI and Tamil Nadu Forest Department interacted with participants during the sessions. A documentary titled โEmpowering Tribalsโฆ Transforming Livesโ was screened on the occasion.
As part of the campaign, beneficiaries received power tillers, irrigation pipes, farm tools, household items, kitchen garden kits, pearl millet and green manure seeds, and areca seedlings, among others.
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