The Kerala State Development Corporation for Scheduled Castes and Tribes Ltd. has initiated a first of its kind project to set up tribal healing centres across the tribal settlements in the state.

The project is to preserve, protect and propagate the rare and unique tribal healing methodologies and herbal medicines practiced and preserved by the tribal healers for many centuries. The corporation will implement the Rs.50 lakh project with assistance from the Kerala State Tribal Development Department.

The project envisages starting small-scale tribal healing centres attached to tribal settlements. The centres will exclusively offer tribal medicines and healing technologies. As per the present plan, 15 such five-bedded centres will take off shortly. Each of the centres will employ 8 people from the tribal settlements, headed by a tribal healer authorized and certified by the concerned authorities.

The corporation will give a loan of Rs.1 to 4 lakh to interested tribal healers for setting up the centres. Half of the loan amount will be disbursed as subsidy by the Kerala State Tribal Development Department and the remaining half will be refundable loans from the Kerala State Development Corporation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Ltd.

With this project, the department aims to provide employment to at least 15 tribal healers and another 150 tribal youths, informed government sources.