Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru/Udupi

Mangaluru/Udupi, Feb 3: Under the Prime Minister’s Special Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) scheme, aimed at providing essential facilities to marginalized tribal communities, a total of 243 Koraga families from Dakshina Kannada (DK) and Udupi districts have been issued new Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards. The deadline for this initiative was January 31.

According to department officials, all Koraga families in these two districts now possess BPL ration cards. The process of applying for and distributing the new ration cards to Koraga and Jenu Kuruba families, recognized as PVTGs by the central government, began on December 24. The final date for applications was set as January 31, 2025.

In Dakshina Kannada, 159 families with a total of 320 members and 84 families in Udupi district have received BPL ration cards as of January 31. Various state and central government schemes are available for PVTG families, but access to these benefits requires Aadhaar cards, ration cards, and other essential documents. To facilitate this, the ITDP department collected necessary data, including names, caste and income certificates, and Aadhaar details, and submitted them to the food department nearly 15 days before the application process began. This information was mapped by the central office before eligible beneficiaries submitted online applications and received their cards.

The ration card distribution initiative is also underway in Mysuru, Kodagu, and Chamarajanagar districts, where the Jenu Kuruba community has been identified as a PVTG. A total of 1,670 PVTG families across the state are set to receive ration cards, including 365 families in Mysuru, 342 in Kodagu, and 516 in Chamarajanagar.

“As per the 2011 Census, Dakshina Kannada is home to 1,235 Koraga families with 4,800 members, while Udupi has 2,450 Koraga families comprising 9,500 members. Efforts have been made to locate Koraga families spread across Dakshina Kannada and provide them with ration cards. In addition, other government schemes, including financial aid of Rs 4.5 lac for constructing new houses for homeless or those with dilapidated homes, are available exclusively for Koraga families. Several nutrition and welfare schemes have also been introduced for their benefit,” said Basavaraju, Dakshina Kannada ITDP officer.