TN Announces Boost for Adi Dravida Hostels After Saidapet Visit

CHENNAI — Following Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s visit to an Adi Dravida hostel in Saidapet to hear student grievances, the Tamil Nadu government on Thursday announced a comprehensive boost for Adi Dravida and Scheduled Tribes hostels, including higher food stipends, increased maintenance allocations, and a new supervisory body.

Replying to the discussion on the demand for grants for the department in the Assembly, Social Welfare Minister Vanni Arasu announced that the government is raising monthly food expenses for school hostel students from Rs. 1,400 to Rs. 1,800 per student. For college hostels, the monthly food allowance will rise from Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 2,000 per student. A total of Rs. 200 crore has been allocated to support these nutrition and health improvements.

The state also raised annual hostel maintenance allocations. For school hostels, annual maintenance funds will increase from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 75,000, while funding for college hostels will double from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1 lakh per year. Maintenance funds provided for Adi Dravida schools were also increased.

To improve administration and grievance redressal, the government will set up a dedicated management body named 'Aran'. The organisation will supervise hostel facilities, maintain standards, and ensure a healthy, secure environment for students. In addition, 'Ambedkar reading centres' will be established inside the hostels to encourage reading habits and assist residents in preparing for competitive examinations.

Minister Vanni Arasu further announced the construction of 150 new hostels for Adi Dravida and Scheduled Tribes students at an estimated outlay of Rs. 160 crore. Across the state, 100 community centres will be set up in areas with large Adi Dravida populations, alongside a tribal cultural centre in Chennai to preserve indigenous arts and traditions.

Other measures announced include the establishment of a Social Justice Board and Social Justice Trust, upgrading 23 Adi Dravida and Scheduled Tribe schools, and signing agreements with commercial banks to facilitate credit access. The government also announced the construction of 5,000 concrete houses for Adi Dravida communities, 2,000 for tribal communities, and 2,500 for sanitation workers, alongside the formation of a Sanitation Workers Welfare Committee and 250 special anganwadis in tribal areas.