KOCHI: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that internet will be brought to all tribal villages this year to ensure digital learning facility. He said that projects aimed at the welfare and comprehensive development of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes are being implemented through education, employment and empowerment.

Chief Minister was inaugurating the state-level social solidarity parade organized by the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Backward Category Development Department. 1,083 out of 1,284 tribal villages have been provided with internet. 4.31 crore was spent for this in Edamalakkudy alone. ABCD is a first-of-its-kind initiative in India to provide access to basic records for all Scheduled Tribe families and securely digitize them. He said that the Kerala Empowerment Society, which was developed to make educated youths of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes into entrepreneurs and employers, is a model for the entire country.

Chief Minister inaugurated the portal of Kedavilakk, the state scheme to replace the central government's suspension of pre-matric scholarships for backward students in classes 1 to 8. He also inaugurated the Justice Welfare and Legal Assistance Scheme. Mayor M Anilkumar took the pledge of a garbage-free New Kerala. Minister K Radhakrishnan presided. Ministers P Rajeev, MB Rajesh, Hibi Eden MP, MLAs PV Srinijin, KN Unnikrishnan, TJ Vinod, District Panchayat President Ullas Thomas, SC Backward Development Department Director K Gopalakrishnan and others were present.