Commissioner of Indian Affairs Morris Thompson announced today that Indian tribal groups would be receiving this fiscal year almost $10 million for projects to provide additional job opportunities on reservations.
Commissioner Thompson said that 39 tribal projects submitted through the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Department of Commerce have been approved for funding under Title X of the Public Works and Economic Development Act. The purpose of this Title of the Act is to create job opportunities in areas of high unemployment.
Most of the approved funding -- about $8.5 million -- will go to Indian Action Team projects. These projects combine employment with on-the-job training and the construction of needed tribal facilities.
Under the Indian Action Team concept, tribal groups develop the capability to build their own housing, erect community centers or construct roads so that they are not dependent on outside contractors for this kind of work. Individual Indians learn skills needed on the reservation -- mostly in construction work -- without leaving their homes and families and while earning a wage.
It is estimated that the 39 funded projects will create more than 1,100 jobs.
Some of the criteria involved in the selection of projects for funding were the severity of unemployment, ability of the project to generate long term employment, cost of creating- a man-year of employment and the ratio of Title X funds to total funds.
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 1975, about $2 million was awarded for tribal projects.
Projects to be funded are as follows: ;Alaska, Annette Island Reserve, $78,360 and Hoonah Village, $67, 096; Arizona, Colorado River Reservation, $300 , 000; Hualapai, $300,000; Navajo, $1,200,000 and San Carlos Apache, $63,000. California, Hoops, $300,000 and Tule River, $300,000; Minnesota, Minnesota Chippewa, $166,740.
