Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has allocated Rs. 50 crores for our Similipal scheme in the current budget 2025.
A high-level meeting was convened today at the departmental conference hall in Kharavela Bhawan under the chairmanship of Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change Ganeshram Singkhuntia on the effective implementation of this scheme and proper utilization of funds.
Additional Chief Secretary Home, Forest Environment & Climate Change, Satyabrata Sahu presented details on various issues.
Minister Shri Singkhuntia said that Similipal is the pride and glory of our state. Why only our state, its unique biodiversity has brought fame to the whole of India.
Similipal is home to a variety of wildlife including tigers and elephants, 304 species of birds, 20 species of amphibians and 62 species of reptiles, 1076 species of flowers and 96 species of orchids. However, the region also faces challenges such as deforestation and access to qualitative education and healthcare for the local Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities.
Realizing this, our popular Chief Minister has allocated Rs. 50 crore for the development of Similipal region. There is political and administrative will to implement this scheme. The flow of funds will be regular as per the proposed annual budget and necessary institutional support is being arranged for the project. Minister Shri Singkhuntia announced that steps are being taken to get Similipal National Park status soon.
Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Satyabrat Sahu, said that AAMA SIMILIPAL YOJANA will focus on building institutions for the economic upliftment of tribal communities, good management of natural resources and biodiversity, improvement and management of wildlife habitats, mitigation measures for human-animal conflict, environmental conservation measures, promotion of community-based eco-tourism, farm afforestation measures, efforts to improve livelihoods and enhance socio-cultural life, capacity building efforts, formation of circle level cells, DMUs and FMUs and training of project staff, survey and delimitation, formation of Forest Protection Committees and Environment Development Committees, preparation of village level micro-plans, identification and selection of beneficiaries for various livelihood schemes of line departments, identification of sites in each village for Forest Protection Committees and Environment Development Committees and construction of houses there.
In the field of natural resources and biodiversity management, forest fire control and management, soil moisture conservation measures along with drainage, removal of noxious weeds and grasses, avenue plantation, medicinal plant nurseries and gardens, protection of forest boundaries and maintenance of forest roads will be taken up. For the improvement and management of wildlife habitat, construction and maintenance of water bodies for drinking and sports of animals, fodder gardens and grasslands for herbivores, flood warning system will be made.
For the reduction of human animal conflict and protection of the environment, solar fences, solar light posts and solar lighting system in the EDC building, plastic free campaign, establishment and maintenance of salt licks, digging of elephant proof ditches and promotion of alternative cooking fuels will be done.
Agroforestry initiatives will include plantation of trees, fencing of agroforestry areas, and promotion of agroforestry. ACS Shri Sahu said that emphasis will be given to project staff for various tasks, construction of institutions and project implementation, small schemes, forest and water transport management, forest fire management, biodiversity conservation and management, vocational training for youth and cluster promotion for primary beneficiaries.
In this review meeting, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force Suresh Pant, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Prem Kumar Jha, Project Director, Odisha Forest Area Development Project Mita Biswal, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Kenduleaf) and Member Secretary of State Pollution Control Board Uma Nanduri, Additional Secretary Deben Pradhan, Joint Secretary Dharam Hansda, Additional Secretary Usharani Das, Joint Secretary Dinakrishna Kar and all other senior officers of the department were present.