Bhubaneswar: Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati of Odisha has called for a humane and empathetic approach in the implementation of schemes for tribal communities.
The directive was issued during a high-level review meeting held at the Raj Bhavan, where the Governor assessed the work of various departments, including the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Caste Development, Minority and Backward Classes Welfare, Forest, Environment and Climate Change, and Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water departments.
Minister, Forest, Environment, Shri Ganesh Ram Khuntia, Minister ST SC Development Shri Nityanand Gond attended the Review Meeting.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Home, Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Satyabrat Sahu, Secretary Panchayati Raj S N Girish, Secretary ST SC Development B Parameswaran and Secretary to the Governor, Roopa Roshan Sahoo.
PCCF & HoFF, Shri Suresh Pant, PCCF Wildlife, Shri Prem K Jha, PCCF Nodal Dr.K Murugesan and other senior officials were present.
The Governor emphasized that while numerous schemes exist for the welfare of tribals, the key is to ensure that the benefits reach the intended recipients. He instructed officials to prepare and distribute booklets in local languages to raise awareness among the tribal population about these schemes. Additionally, he urged for a positive attitude in enrolling more people into various social security programs, highlighting the crucial role of bank authorities in this process.
Governor Shri Kambhampati also conducted a detailed review of several key areas, including the quality of education for tribal students, the progress of Ekalavya Model Residential Schools, and the implementation of the Forest Rights Act-2006. He expressed concern over pending applications under the Forest Rights Act and directed that these be resolved within the next 90 days, calling for better coordination among different departments.
The issue of fake caste certificates was also addressed, with the Governor inquiring about the measures being taken to curb such fraudulent activities. He stressed the importance of ensuring fair prices for minor forest produce and eliminating middlemen, suggesting the promotion of MSMEs for value addition.
The review also covered the state of infrastructure and communication in tribal areas, with a specific focus on extending mobile network connectivity to every village. The Governor also reviewed the use of solar energy and advocated for the establishment of smart classrooms in schools through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.