Bhubaneswar: For proper rehabilitation of leprosy patients, the State Government has been constructing leprosy colonies for them in different districts.
SSEPD Principal Secretary Bishnupada Sethi recently reviewed the progress made in setting up of the colonies with senior officers through virtual mode.
According to official sources, an amount of Rs 86 lakh in total (Rs 1 lakh per colony) was sanctioned in favour of 22 District Administration for observation of Anti-Leprosy Day on 30th January 2024.
The fund was sanctioned towards sensitization and awareness on leprosy and its treatment, organization of health camps and cleaning of the colonies
The SSEPD Department has also sanctioned Rs 96.67 lakh for construction of leprosy homes and workshed with weaving equipment for skill development training and gainful engagement of cured leprosy persons at Lewis Leprosy Colony, Bamapada, Balasore.
The officials informed that 30 families have been provided with homes in the premises of the colony and each house has been connected with tap water. Drainage in the colony has been ensured and garbage is regularly removed from the colony. Paver roads are laid in the colony for better connectivity.
Out of the total 123 inhabitants living in the colony, MBPY, NFSA and BSKY cards have been saturated among them. MCR shoes have also been provided to all eligible inhabitants, they said.
The Department officials further informed that 33 students have been provided with scholarship and driving training has been imparted to 7 individuals. Further, 6 groups consisting of 26 CLPs were provided with seed money of Rs 50,000 each to start mushroom cultivation.
The Principal Secretary expressed his satisfaction on the developments in Balasore.
Joining the meet, Khordha Collector Chanchal Rana said that since the Bapuji, Dharabati and part of Jagannath Leprosy colonies are located on Railway land, the matter has already been taken up with Railway officials and necessary clearance from DRM, Khurda is awaited.
In Khurda, marriage incentives to six families have been paid, skill development training provided to 86 individuals for their rehabilitation under various livelihood activities. Further, DRI loan provided to 17 CLPs for their self-employment, the Collector said.
Special BBSA (Bhima Bhoi Bhinnakshyama Samarthya Abhiyan) camps were also conducted in the colonies where 156 UDID cards have been generated and distributed among the beneficiaries.
A proposal was there for rehabilitation of (8) families consisting of 27 members, construction of EWS houses was to be taken up within the premises of Niladri Nilaya Rehabilitation Centre under Puri Municipality.
For construction of the above residential unit, an amount of Rs 119 crore has already been released in the favour of superintendent engineer, R&B, Puri and construction work has also been started. As many as 12 marriage incentive benefits have been provided to the beneficiaries in Puri.
Similarly, ADM (Revenue), Bargarh apprised the Committee about the developments undertaken for the leprosies. It came to the notice that there is no electricity in the Maila Khodan and Jhainjore Leprosy colonies.
Shri Sethi advised to focus on those colonies and ensure electrification of houses in a time bound manner and report compliance by the next meeting.
The ADM informed that livelihood activities like poultry and mushroom cultivation are being taken up by the inhabitants and they are becoming self-sufficient.
The Principal Secretary advised to assess the impact of livelihood support on the income of the beneficiaries. Necessary marketing support should be made available to the beneficiaries so that they can get a better price of their products.
Shri Sethi asked the ADM to submit a detailed report in this regard before the next meeting.
Collector Sundargarh has informed that the District Administration has granted pension under MBPY, health card under BSKY and NFSA cards to the beneficiaries.
He further highlighted that since the Jagannath Leprosy colony located on land belongs to Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), it is not possible to provide LRC and housing benefits in the colony. However, other benefits have been provided.
Further, RSP has been requested to provide bathroom and toilet facilities in the colony. Livelihood activities have also taken up in the colonies for the rehabilitation and improvement of living conditions of the leprosy patients, the Collectors said in the meeting.
ADM, Mayurbhanj informed that Saraswati Leprosy colony is located on Jungle Kisam land and they have taken up the issue with the concerned office to change the Kisam. He informed that an amount of Rs 8 lakh (Rs 50,000 each to 16 CLP SHGs) have been provided for tailoring and soft toy making.
As many as 40 families in the colony have shown interest in poultry farming and they have been assisted accordingly.
Further, ADM, Jharsuguda presented the development activities taken up in different Leprosy colonies along with benefits of different schemes extended to the beneficiaries i.e, pension, health card under BSKY and ration card under NFSA.
All eligible beneficiaries have been covered under above Schemes. Further, the interested beneficiaries have been covered under different livelihood activities, the ADM said.
Different developmental activities carried out in Gandhipalli and Nehrupalli Leprosy colony in Cuttack under Jaga Mission. Eligible beneficiaries of the colonies have been covered under Pension, BSKY and NFSA. Basic amenities i.e, safe drinking water, pucca road, electricity, sewerage facilities have been provided in the colonies.