Development and Outcomes of Kallar Cooperative Societies During Pre- Independence – An Assessment

Abstract

Though the British government was shown interest to establishing their government, when they imposed the most draconian law on the rebellious aboriginals of India, they came under severe criticism of the progressive thinkers of the entire world. Thus, in the year 1924, as a measure of reclamation of Piramalai Kallar, the British Government launched the Kallar Reclamation Schemes under which a Piramalai Kallar Reclamation Fund was also created. A 12 member committee managed the fund and these twelve members aiming at the general improvement of the community by granting loans for agricultural and other purposes and also for the general welfare of the community. The Kallar Reclamation Scheme mainly endeavored to educate the students of the Piramalai Kallar community, and at the end of 1940 itself, there were 60 schools established under Kallar Reclamation Scheme with a student strength of over 3182 (Administration Report for the year 1940, Government of Madras, 1940, p.11). Further Piramalai Kallar students were granted scholarships and stipends. These schemes were implemented by Piramalai Kallar Special Officers for Madurai, supported with man powers by pooling officers from Police, Revenue, Educational and Co-operative Departments. As a result 270, special cooperative societies for the betterment of Piramalai Kallars were established at the end of the year 1946 (MLAD, September-October, 1 947, p.206).