Thursday, October 15, 2009

Sops for K'handi tribals

Tathya.in, 14th October, 2009

Berhampur:14/October/2009

It was totally a tribal centric move to pamper the population of Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district.

The Lanjigarh Project Area Development Foundation (LPADF) has sanctioned projects worth Rs.20 crore plus for development of education, health, drinking water, sanitation and irrigation in the district of Kalahandi and Rayagada.

More than 60 projects were sanctioned, which are aimed at bringing benefit to the tribals of Lanjigarh, where Vedanta Aluminum Limited (VAL) has set up the alumina plant.



The LPADF headed by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (South) Satyabrat Sahu chaired the first meeting held here in the conference hall of RDC Office.

Nine Directors in the SPV out of which 5 from the Government of Orissa (GOO) and Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC), rest 5 from SIIL attended the meeting.

R Gopalan, Collector Kalahandi, K G Mahapatra, Collector Rayagada and Anoop Orian Franclin Bakhla, conservator of forests, Bhawanipatna and A K Pani, General Manager of Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) attended the meeting.

From SIIL side, Dr. Mukesh Kumar, the Chief Executive Officer, Vedanta Alumina Limited (VAL) along with the Vice President (Mines), General Manager (HR) and Chief Financial Officer of the Lanjigarh Project also attended the meeting.

In line with the judgment of the Supreme Court, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) was set up for the welfare and development of the people staying in and around of 50 kilometer radius of Lanjigarh area in Kalahandi district.

The LPADF is registered under section of 25 of The Companies Act-1956 as a non-profit making company.

Supreme Court in its judgment on 23 November, 2007 and on 8 August, 2008, has asked the State Government to float the SPV with entire funding from the Sterlite Industries India Limited (SIIL).

The LPADF decided to sanction Rs.3 crore to develop the Lanjigarh hospital on PPP mode, where 10 doctors, paramedical staff and other staffs will be made available.

Funding from NRHM will also be available for the hospital.

Drinking water problem, which is acute, received attention of the LPADF, sanctioned Rs.4 crore

Earlier it was decided that GOO, OMC and SIIL jointly will make all out efforts for development of health, education, irrigation, connectivity, child care, child & women development, agriculture, farming and self help group development etc.

Accordingly both the Collectors brought projects worth Rs.37 crore out of which Rs.20 crore has been sanctioned in the first lot.

Five tribal high schools and two colleges of Lanjigarh and Rayagada have been sanctioned funds for development.

Rs.60 lakh has been sanctioned to provide medicated mosquito nets to be provided to the tribals in Lanjigarh, Biswanathpur and Ambadola blocks.

For stabilization of power fluctuations in and around Lanjigarh, Rs.1.5 crore has been sanctioned, said sources.

It was decided to develop a website of the foundation, which will be an interactive portal.

All the projects and expenditure incurred in the same will be hosted in the website, said an official.

Second meeting will be held on 10 November in Kalahandi, where review will be taken up.

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