Chief Minister M.K. Stalin virtually inaugurated village knowledge centres (VKCs) at remote hamlets in Vellore, Ranipet, and Tirupattur districts on Saturday, on the occasion of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s death anniversary.
Officials of the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Corporation (TADCO), which will maintain the facilities, said the centres would provide skill training, digital literacy, and community-based learning to residents, especially Adi Dravidar youth, in villages. “The centres can also be used to conduct free marriages by the Adi Dravidar community as facilities such as separate bride and groom rooms and dining hall with power and water connections have also been provided,” A. Sudha, Executive Engineer, TADCO (Vellore), told The Hindu.
Vellore Collector V.R. Subbulaxmi and District Revenue Officer M. Sivasubramanian also inspected the new centres in Katpadi and Gudiyatham taluks. “The centres will help children from the community [Adi Dravidar] spend time in the library,” said B. Sudalai, a resident.
Funded under the NABARD XXX scheme, the centres were built in villages such as Vandathangal (Katpadi), Sattur (Ranipet), Ranga Samuthiram (Gudiyatham), and Kullacheri and Madapalli (Tirupattur). Each centre measures 203.90 sq.m on average and was built at a cost of ₹77.89 lakh.
The centres consist of an administrative office, a skill training hall, a computer lab, a library, training rooms, an instructor’s office, and toilets. They also have public halls that can accommodate around 200 people. Four overhead tanks and a three-phase electricity connection have been provided to ensure smooth functioning of the centres. Each centre will benefit a population of around 7,000 in the village. It will be used to conduct regular meetings by self-help groups.
TADHCO officials said around 160 such centres were under various stages of construction in the State. The new centres in Keel Mittalam village near Ambur town in Tirupattur and Poondi village near Arani town in Tiruvannamalai are close to completion, they added.