Samathuvapuram

Samathuvapuram (transl. Equality Village) officially Periyar Ninaivu Samathuvapuram (Periyar Memorial Equality Village) is a social equality scheme of the Government of Tamil Nadu to improve social harmony and to reduce caste discrimination. Under the scheme, villages of 100 houses each are being created to accommodate the various castes, with one community hall and burial ground to be shared by all. The scheme is named after the social reformer Periyar E. V. Ramasamy.[1]

Scheme

The scheme aims to ease the situation and to integrate the Dalits segregated by the caste system to begin using the wells and temples of the dominant communities.[2] The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. Karunanidhi introduced the housing scheme to create villages of 100 houses each. Each village is subdivided into 40 houses for Dalits, 25 houses for backward caste, 25 houses for most backward caste, and 10 for other communities.[3] To avoid caste discrimination, the Samathuvapuram would have one community hall for all communities, as well as a common burial ground.[2] The first samathuvapuram inaugurated by M. Karunanidhi on 17 August 1998 in the Melakottai village near Tirumangalam, Madurai.[3] By 2001, 145 samathuvapurams were opened across Tamil Nadu.[4]

Following the change in the state government in 2001, the scheme was abandoned. In 2006, the scheme was revived after M. Karunanidhi came to power. During his tenure, 95 samathuvapurams were opened state-wide.[4]

References
  1. S. Muthiah (2008). Madras, Chennai: A 400-year Record of the First City of Modern India. Palaniappa Brothers. p. 357. ISBN 978-81-8379-468-8.
  2. "Dmk As Social Engineer". Outlook. 10 November 1997.
  3. "Samathuvapuram: miles to go to attain equality". The Hindu. 17 January 2010.
  4. "Stalin inaugurates TN's 14th Samathuvapuram". The Hindu. 14 November 2009.
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