Tribals hail Uddhav's decision to scrap present format of Khavti scheme

Uddhav Thackeray. File pic

It was joy abundant among the lakhs of tribals in the state of Maharashtra after the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackery decided to stay the Khavti scheme in the present form. The Tribal Development of the state government had decided to go for the Khavti scheme following the 50-50 system in which the eligible tribals were to get Rs 2,000 in cash under DBT and balance Rs 2,000 in the form of kind and essential goods.

Earlier, the same scheme was opposed tooth and nail by the tribals stating that the TDD, which was notorious for its mismanagement would not implement the scheme in the present form. Even when the scheme was announced in September 2020, it did not see the light of the day as the preparation of the list of the eligible tribals remained a distant dream.

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The tribals came together under the banner of the Shramajivi Sanghatana and gave a fight against the scheme in the present format and demanded that the entire amount of Rs 4,000 be credited into the account of the family. The tribals also carried out a series of agitations and made presentations to the Chief Minister, Governor, and others in this regard under the leadership of the founder president of the Sanghatana, Vivek Pandit.

Pandit, who also happened to be the Chairman of the government-appointed committee to look into the status of the schemes of the tribals also took up the issue strongly with the government and pointed out that the procurement of essentials was not at all warranted as the peak period is already through and the tribals had already set out on their work elsewhere.

The TDD had drowned in corruption and a number of controversial issues relating to it in procurement had surrounded it and a probe into it was pending. Pandit feared that this would give rise to one more fraud and hence the government should revisit the entire scheme and wanted the entire money to be transferred to the tribals.

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The tribals carried out protests in the form of "Therava" of the TDD and criticised minister KC Padavai, who bulldozed the protestors and went ahead by calling for tenders. In the latest development, most of the legislators from Thane, Palghar, Raigad, and Nashik District including Thane Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde, supported the demand of the tribals and wrote CM Uddhav Thackeray to revisit the entire scheme and cancel the tender process

They wanted the entire amount of Rs 4,000 to be credited to the account of the tribals which would be the right way to help them out as they are coming to normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In keeping with the growing demand and the view of most of the legislators, the Chief Minister on Friday held a meeting with the stakeholders and the senior officials of the secretariat connected with the issue and stayed the present tendering process for the procurement of the essentials for the Khavti scheme.

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A highly placed official of the TDD confirmed the same and said that an order to this effect will follow soon.

Reacting on the same, the President of the Shramajivi Sanghatana Rambhau varna, who was also in the forefront of the agitation, which included gifting of Khavti to the minister said that this was nothing but the grand success for the lakhs of tribals who had been all along opposing the very format of the Khavti scheme. He also wanted all the tribals to be included in the scheme.

General Secretaries Balaram Bhoir and Vijay Pawar appreciated the united power and the dedication of the tribals in the four districts who agitated selflessly and made this happen.

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