THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government on Thursday finalised a series of steps, including distribution of free ration for two more weeks, to the tribals living under poverty besides contracting several diseases.

Talking to newspersons after a cabinet meeting, Chief Minister A K Antony said tribals in several areas were living in a precarious condition as crash in the prices of agricultural produce had led to unemployment.

To ensure jobs for them, it was decided to direct the forest department to employ tribals in 90 per cent of its works in the forests.

Asked about the reported starvation deaths of 11 tribals in the state in the past few months, Antony said he had asked the collector of Wayanad to give a report on the matter.

''However, it was true that the tribals had contracted several unknown diseases.'' He said the district collectors had been asked to study the problems of the tribals and deliver remedies by coordinating the departments of SC and ST welfare, forest and health.