Telangana: Minister distributes ex-gratia to kin of deceased toddy tappers

Ex-gratia was also given to tappers who suffered permanent and temporary disabilities

Hyderabad: Traditional occupations are regaining their past glory with the State government introducing a series of initiatives to help them on all fronts, Prohibition and Excise Minister V Srinivas Goud said here on Thursday.

As part of these initiatives, toddy palm saplings cultivation was taken up in villages, he said. The Minister was speaking after giving ex-gratia to kin of toddy tappers who died after accidentally falling while tapping toddy from palm trees.

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Ex-gratia was also given to tappers who suffered permanent and temporary disabilities. Bereaved family members of 126 tappers who died while tapping toddy got an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each. As many as 147 tappers who suffered permanent disability received Rs 5 lakh each while 315 tappers who suffered temporary disability got Rs10,000 each.

In all, 588 beneficiaries benefited under the scheme, Goud said. He said efforts were on to establish Neera café on Tank Bund at a cost of over Rs 20 crore and plans have been chalked out to open similar outlets in each district headquarters.

He said new vehicles with proper design would be supplied to tappers soon and the Goud Bhavan would be constructed for the community at a cost of Rs 5 crore at Kokapet shortly. The Minister said the government would help the children, who lost their parents, to study at the government gurukul institutions or residential schools.

He said necessary steps would be taken to protect the forts constructed by the king Sardar Sarvai Papanna and develop them into tourist places.

Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, who was also present at the programme, said the State government was striving for the welfare of the Goud community. As part of Telanganaku Haritha Haram programme, over 3.80 crore toddy palm tree saplings would be planted, he added.

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