Bhubaneswar: In a major stride towards strengthening grassroots governance in tribal regions, a Special Gram Sabha was convened across Odisha on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti under the Aadi Karmayogi Abhiyan – Responsive Governance Programme.
On this day, more than 5,500 Village Action Plans (VAPs) were approved, marking a significant milestone in participatory and accountable governance.
The Aadi Karmayogi Abhiyan, launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a core component of the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA). Rooted in the principles of Seva (Service), Samarpan (Dedication), and Sankalp (Resolve), the initiative aims to saturate essential services at the grassroots while empowering tribal communities through responsive governance.
In Odisha, the programme covers 7,623 villages across 213 blocks in 22 districts. To ensure smooth implementation, nearly 1 lakh Aadi Saathis and 30,000 Aadi Sahyogis have been mobilised, supported by over 50 empanelled CSOs and NGOs working across the state.
On 2nd October, more than 6,255 Aadi Seva Kendras were inaugurated, against a target of 7,623 centres. These Kendras will serve as vital hubs for service delivery, capacity building, and community engagement in tribal areas.
The Village Action Plans, prepared through transect walks, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), resource mapping, and vision mapping exercises, reflect extensive grassroots participation and are expected to guide integrated development at the village level.
By fostering multi-departmental convergence and adopting a whole-of-government approach, the Aadi Karmayogi Abhiyan is working to restore trust in governance institutions and empower tribal communities to take ownership of their development journey.
