Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati has directed officials to adopt a humane and empathetic approach while implementing schemes aimed at the welfare of tribal communities.
The directive was issued during a high-level review meeting held on August 23 at the New Abhishek Hall of Raj Bhavan, where the performance of various departments, including Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes Development, Minority and Backward Classes Welfare, Forest, Environment and Climate Change, and Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, was evaluated.
The meeting was attended by key figures, including Minister for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes Development, Minority and Backward Classes Welfare, Nityananda Gond, and Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia, along with senior officials, District Forest Officers (DFOs), Chief Development Officers of Zilla Parishads, Executive Officers, Project Administrators of Integrated Tribal Development Agencies, District Welfare Officers, and other project officials.
In his address, Governor Kambhampati emphasised the importance of raising awareness about central and state government schemes for tribal welfare to ensure their benefits reach the intended communities. He instructed departmental commissioners and secretaries to prepare and distribute informative booklets detailing these schemes to the public. He further directed officials to adopt a proactive approach to maximise public participation in social security schemes, highlighting the crucial role of banks in this process.
The Governor reviewed various programs, including quality education for tribal students, Eklavya Model Residential Schools, scholarships, and initiatives to improve the living standards of tribal communities. He also assessed the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006, marketing of minor forest produce with minimum support prices, Article 275(1), the Pradhan Mantri Janman Yojana, and the Dharti Aba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan. He directed officials to resolve pending FRA applications within the next 90 days and emphasised the need for better coordination among departments.
Additionally, Governor Kambhampati reviewed the infrastructure development of schools managed by the Welfare Department and their accreditation status. He expressed concern over fraudulent caste certificates and inquired about measures taken to address such cases. The Governor also evaluated the procurement and auction of minor forest produce, stressing the need to ensure fair prices for tribal communities and eliminate middlemen. He suggested encouraging entrepreneurs to set up MSMEs for processing minor forest produce.
Infrastructure and connectivity in tribal-dominated areas were also discussed, with the Governor emphasising the provision of mobile networks in every village and promoting solar energy use in households and institutions. He further advocated for establishing smart classrooms in schools through CSR initiatives.
The meeting saw participation from senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretary of the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, Satyabrata Sahu; Commissioner-cum-Secretary to the Governor, Roopa Roshan Sahu; PCCF Odisha, Suresh Pant; Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, S.N. Girish; and Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes Development, Minority and Backward Classes Welfare Department, B. Parameswaran, among others.
