New Delhi, May 3 (PTI) Congress General Secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has written to Rural Development and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan about the critical issues faced by tribal communities in Wayanad including lack of road connectivity and irrigation facilities.

In her letter, Vadra emphasized the urgent need to provide connectivity to over 3,200 tribal settlements in Wayanad under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV.

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While the scheme prioritises connectivity for tribal-majority villages in aspirational districts, its current eligibility criteria -- ?requiring a minimum population of 500 and over 50 per cent Scheduled Tribes -- leaves most of Wayanad's tribal settlements ineligible, she said.

Acknowledging the unique socio-economic challenges faced by these communities, Vadra urged the government to relax these restrictive criteria.

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She underlined that connectivity is not just an infrastructural necessity but a lifeline critical for improving access to healthcare, education and employment, while also alleviating the psychological alienation endured by these marginalised communities.

Vadra said the government must prioritise the welfare of these communities, bridge the gap of exclusion and extend the promise of equitable development to even the remotest corners of the nation.

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