Bhubaneswar: In the wake of large-scale ethnic violence that occurred last month in the tribal-dominated Malkangiri district, the Odisha government, on Thursday, took a series of decisions to address various grievances of the tribals in the district.
The government has announced a relief package for the victims of the violence that broke out in Malkangiri district last December. The package includes a special financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the deceased Lake Padiami, whose brutal killing triggered the violence.
The Chief Minister’s Relief Fund will provide the assistance, which was decided during a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The meeting also decided to provide financial assistance of up to Rs 75,000 to those whose houses were partially or fully damaged in the violence.
Additionally, shopkeepers whose shops were damaged will receive assistance of up to Rs 20,000. The concerned departments have been directed to regularly update the Chief Minister’s Office on the implementation of these decisions.
As per a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), it was decided that the Malkangiri District Collector Somesh Kumar Upadhyay will review hundreds of pending cases under Regulation 2/56 (as amended in 2002) every fortnight and apprise the progress to the Southern Revenue Divisional Commissioner Sangram Keshari Mohapatra and the state government.
The state government has also decided to provide permanent land titles to the landless and homeless tribal families in the state.
“Expeditious arrangements will be made to provide permanent ‘pattas’ under the FRA (Forest Rights Act) and OGLS (Odisha Government Land Settlement Act). The District Collector shall review the progress every month and inform the state government,” the CMO added.
The Odisha government further resolved to provide permanent ‘pattas’ to families displaced by the Machhkund Irrigation Project.
As per the state’s high-level meeting’s decisions, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Deoranjan Kumar Singh, will conduct a quarterly review of all revenue-related matters of Malkangiri district and report to the state government.
“The Water Resources Department will take steps in the coming days to provide irrigation facilities to upland agricultural lands of tribal and other communities located near water bodies,” the CMO noted.
The state government also decided that arrangements will be made to ensure tribal applicants can benefit from the Chief Minister’s Agriculture Development Scheme, PMEGP (Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme), and PMFME (Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises).
Vacant Multilingual Education teacher posts in Koya, Didayi, and Bonda tribal languages at the primary school level will be filled immediately by the State School and Mass Education Department.
Additionally, the state government resolved to create more seats in higher secondary schools of Malkangiri district so that tribal and other students can continue their studies beyond Class 10.
More hostels will also be constructed in schools and colleges to provide accommodation to students from remote areas in the state.
The violence had led to large-scale clashes between local tribals and refugees from Bangladesh on December 7 and 8 last year.
