AHADS to continue functioning

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that the Attappady Hill Area Development Society (AHADS), aimed at the implementation of eco-restoration and tribal empowerment project, would continue its functioning.

Briefing the mediapersons on the cabinet decisions here on Tuesday, he said that new job vacancies would be created to employ the contractual staffs of AHADS as there were no new projects. He added that priority would be given to 153 adivasis. They will be employed as forest watchers, police home guards and also in the primitive tribes’ project. The other employees will be given jobs once the Akshayapathram project and Wayand package are implemented.

Watershed programmes in panchayats will be converted to training centres.

A 12-member committee, headed by District Collector, will be formed to monitor the functioning of the project. The District Collector has been instructed to pay the pending salary from the AHADS revolving fund.

The Cabinet also has decided to sanction Rs 25 crore for the Consumerfed for market intervention.

Other decisions include the formation of bill to take over the Kozhikode Home Trust, granting of Rs 5 lakh assistance to Swathi Krishna, who is under treatment after her kidney transplant and giving a solatium of Rs 2 lakh to the family of Rangi, an adivasi who died at Attapadi.