Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Development plan for primitive tribal groups

Expressbuzz, Jan 13, 2009

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government launched a five-year conservation-cum-development (CCD) plan during the last financial year for 13 primitive tribal groups (PTGs) estimated at Rs 84.25 crore.

Out of this, Rs 64.66 crore has been posed to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for financial assistance over a period of five years. The remaining Rs 19.8 crore will be spent by various other line departments. The Centre has already released Rs 10 crore towards the CCD in 2007-08.

The CCD was launched as the population of PGTs located in 17 micro projects dwindled. The population of PGTs based on a survey conducted in 2007 is 78,519. They reside in parts of 20 blocks spread over 12 districts — Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Angul, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Gajapati and Ganjam. Out of the micro projects 13 are in scheduled areas and 4 elsewhere.

The State Government has launched several income generating schemes for the PGTs. These include promotion of horticulture, agriculture, land development, small business, processing and marketing of minor forest produce, goatery and irrigation projects. Village roads, market yard and community irrigation projects are covered under the infrastructure development projects.

The CCD for PGTs in Orissa prioritised activities in areas like education, stress on pre-primary education by strengthening the existing gyan mandirs and establishment of an educational complex for improvement of girls’ education, housing, connectivity, safe drinking water and improvement of agriculture.

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