Chief minister Madhu Koda hands a solar lamp to a tribal at Tatiba in Noamundi block of West Singhbhum. Telegraph picture

Jamshedpur, May 8: An acre to landless tribal families and adequate healthcare facilities is what chief minister Madhu Koda promised during his visit to Tatiba under Noamundi block of West Singhbhum today.

The chief minister visited Tatiba to inaugurate 70 concrete houses under the Birsa Awas Yojana constructed for Birhore tribes by Bharat Sevashram Sangha. He was accompanied by West Singhbhum deputy commissioner M.P. Sinha and monks of Bharat Sevashram Sangha.

Soon after landing by a helicopter, the chief minister inaugurated the Birsa Awas houses at Tatiba. Various tribal groups waited for the chief minister’s arrival for about three hours under the scorching sun at the venue of the function.

Addressing the inaugural function of the Birsa Awas project, the chief minister announced that the small hamlet (Tatiba) would soon get facilities such as proper drinking water, healthcare and electricity.

He directed the authorities of Jharkhand State Electricity Board to ensure that Tatiba is brought under the Rajiv Gandhi Vidyutikaran Yojana, a central government-sponsored rural electrification scheme.

A total of 70 families belonging to Birhore, a primitive tribal group, reside at Tatiba. They earn their living by making plates made out of leaves. The chief minister directed the local administration to ensure that the tribal groups receive the benefits of various government schemes like Antodaya, Swajal Dhara and Red Card. Koda also asked the village heads (mundas) to co-operate with the administration for undertaking activities for the welfare of the tribal people. The village heads are paid Rs 50,000 annually for undertaking welfare activities.

Referring to education of the tribal children, the chief minister said that efforts are being taken to appoint parateachers for schools in rural areas.

“We have already directed the district superintendents of education to initiate the process of appointment of parateachers located in rural areas so that the students does not suffer and that they receive better education,” he said, addressing the gathering at Tatiba.

As a goodwill gesture, the chief minister also announced that his government would provide direct employment to youths belonging to primitive tribes after they complete their education.

Koda also felicitated a student from Birhore community for clearing the matriculation examination. He also distributed solar lamps to about 10 Birhore families during the function.

Koda said that various primitive tribal groups would be brought into the mainstream with the help of NGOs.