Visakhapatnam: AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said that his government would allow bauxite mining in Vizag agency areas in accordance with the existing tribal laws.
Speaking on the contentious bauxite mining issue at a meeting with party workers in Anakapalli on Saturday, he said that the government would provide rights on mining activity to local tribal women for their economic empowerment.
“We respect tribal laws and will involve tribal population in the mining activity that will boost their income levels and the revenue would also be utilised for betterment of their lives,” Mr Naidu said.
Participating in the World Tribal Day celebrations at the airport, organised for the first time in the country in the lines of World Indigenous People’s Day, he said the TD government will hand over bauxite and sand mining to the tribal population in Vizag agency.
Apart from bauxite mining, the government would provide mineral water to tribal hamlets within a year, Rs 50,000 for tribal girls’ marriage and uninterrupted power supply to these areas.
He also said they would include dengue and malaria cases being reported in the agency areas for financial support under NTR Arogyasri scheme.
The government will set up a tribal museum in the agency and would also start work on Tribal University in Vizianagaram.
