TODAY'S PAPER » NATIONAL » ANDHRA PRADESHNIZAMABAD, June 17, 2014
NIZAMABAD, June 17, 2014
Kayitha Lambadas celebrate new status
P. RAM MOHAN
People of the rare tribal group found in two districts included in STs
ELATED:A rare tribal community, Kayitha Lambadas, at a tribal hamlet in Nizamabad district.– Photo: K.V. Ramana
People of the rare tribal group, Kayitha Lambadas also known as Mathura Lambadas, numbering a few thousand and scattered in Gandhari, Lingampet, Bichkunda and Jukkal mandals in the district, are happy over the government’s decision to include them in the Schedule Tribe category.
The promise made by the government it is believed will benefit them in the future as they being under BC “D” category all these years they had lost all opportunities in education and employment. As they were not in the ST category like the Lambadas or Banjaras, there was no improvement in their literacy level or employment among them.
Low literacy level
The literacy percentage among them is just 10 to 15 per cent, which is far below the literacy level of Lambadas, while the government employment is almost dismal.
Though their literacy level is poor they are financially sound, which is why they were converted into BC category in the early 80s. Since then, they have been demanding that they be given the previous status of STs. Rajiv Gandhi and Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had assured them of restoring their old social status, but to no avail.
Confined to Nizamabad and Adilabad districts they live around hills for greener pastures as they are predominantly cattle grazers.
They are basically vegetarians and shun liquor and celebrate festivals relating to Lord Krishna in a grand way as they feel as they are his descendants.
They were denied admission to tribal residential schools as they were not considered to be tribals. However, on the request of local people, about 70 Kayitha Lambada children were admitted to the tribal welfare hostel at Shivanur in Jukkal mandal, according to Chandrashekar, an employee in the department.
Lack of data
Interestingly, there is no demographic data of this community either with tribal welfare or BC welfare department. Among 1.89 lakh tribal population in the district as per the 2011 census the Kayitha Lambadas are hardly 4,000 in number. They are in a couple of thousands only in Gandhari mandal, says P. Jagadeeswar Reddy, the DTWO.“We did not receive any application for any benefit from them. In my 16-year stint in the department I have not seen a single Kayitha Lambada person coming for assistance,” said V. Ramesh, office superintendent at district BC welfare office.
TDP leader Badya Nayak is of the view that the government’s decision would certainly improve their socio economic conditions.
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