Himalayan News Service

Dang, April 2:

While some freed Kamaiyas are finding it increasingly difficult to live in the temporary camps here without anything to do to earn money, the fund established for the uplift of the freed Kamaiyas has not been used properly, it is reported.

The Kamaiya welfare fund set up in Dang district under the heads of Revolving Fund, Profit Fund and Income Generating Fund have not been properly used and the impact of disbursement of the fund has not been satisfactory.

The government had provided Rs 987,000 and the ILO Rs 1.328 million for setting up the revolving fund which would be provided to the freed Kamaiyas

to help them set up their own enterprises to be self dependent, the District Land Revenue Office, Dang said. Money available in the revolving fund still remains unused, Govinda Prasad Sharma, the Land Reform Officer, said.

Of Rs 2.315 million available in the fund, only Rs 906,000 has been disbursed to the freed Kamaiyas, the DLRO informed. Sharma said some freed Kamaiyas have taken loan from the fund to start different entrepreneurial activities like pig farming, goat rearing, sheep rearing, poultry farming, buffalo rearing and other agricultural purposes.

Altogether 302 freed Kamaiyas have taken loan worth Rs 906, 000.

The Profit Fund, with a sum of Rs 900,000, established with an aim to invest on empowering Kamaiyas and engaging them in social activities, has not been utilised, the District Land Reforms Office Dang further informed.

The Income Generating Fund has also not been properly used. Of the total Rs 225,000 in the fund only Rs 15,000 has been used.