Telangana govt committed to welfare of toddy workers: Ponnam

WARANGAL: The state government is committed to the welfare of toddy workers and will distribute Katamaiah Safety Kits to approximately 1.85 lakh toddy tappers across the state, said the Backward Class (BC) welfare minister, Ponnam Prabhakar. He inaugurated the programme at the Renuka Yellamma temple premises on the Ramagundam bypass road in Karimnagar on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, Prabhakar stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, the state government had prioritised the welfare of toddy workers. The Katamaiah safety kits were designed by experts, including individuals who have climbed Mount Everest, and have been technically approved by the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Warangal. The quality of the kits was also verified by IIT Hyderabad.

These kits, capable of withstanding up to 1,500 kilograms, will provide significant assistance to toddy tappers when climbing palm trees for toddy extraction. In the first phase, 10,000 kits will be distributed across 100 assembly constituencies.

In the second phase, the kits will be distributed to the remaining two lakh toddy workers who have registered. The introduction of Katamaiah safety kits is expected to eliminate deaths caused by falls from palm trees.

Prabhakar urged society elders to create awareness about the safety kits among toddy workers, ensure proper training, and distribute the kits. He also emphasised the importance of using social media to increase awareness.

The minister further highlighted the government's commitment to education. On Friday, 11 October, foundation stones will be laid for the construction of Young India Integrated Schools in the Husnabad, Dharmapuri, Manakondur, and Manthani assembly constituencies. Each school will receive an investment of Rs 180 crore.

He instructed officials to regularly visit welfare hostels, residential schools, and colleges to inspect the provision of basic facilities for students and report any issues to the concerned authorities.