A Kudumbashree tribal meeting held in the first tribal panchayat in Edamalakkudy under the Munnar Wildlife Division has decided to ensure livelihood for 100 families in the tribal settlement under Kudumbashree Livelihood Initiative for Transformation (K-LIFT). According to officials, the livelihood will provide animal husbandry, farming-related activities, sewing units, small shops, bamboo products, and the collection and marketing of forest resources. Officials said that breeding indigenous goats and poultry breeds should be promoted under the animal husbandry sector, in addition to developing the fish farming facilities in the tribal settlement.
The meeting also discussed the branding of tribespeople cultivating cardamom and pepper in various tribal settlements, officials said.
The first tribal grama panchayat was formed exclusively for the Muthuvan tribal community in 2010. After the formation of the first tribal panchayat, the Kudumbashree intensified its activities in Edamalakkudy. Officials said that all tribal families in the Edamalakkudy panchayat were included under 36 Kudumbashree units. Under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), 20 tribal animators from Edamalakkudy were working under the panchayat-level Community Development Society (CDS).
Edamalakkudy panchayat vice president Mohandas initiated the meeting at the panchayat office hall at Societykudy, the base camp of the tribal panchayat. State tribal programme Officer Manoj, district programme manager Biju Joseph and assistant programme manager Sharika, among others, attended the meeting.
