Jaleswar: The ambitious Jaga Mission seems to have failed to benefit the scheduled tribe (ST) and scheduled caste (SC) people in Jaleswar block of Balasore.
According to sources, STs and SCs constitute 42 per cent of the block’s total population. Most of them reside on forest land but they have not been issued land pattas.
As a result, their children are unable to get caste certificates which are necessary for them to pursue higher studies. Out of the total population of 2.04 lakh in the block, 85,000 are STs and SCs.
Scores of people in Sikharpur panchayat have been living in misery as they are deprived of housing benefits due to lack of land pattas. Most of them live under polythene sheds.
“Our miseries get compounded during rains. Sometimes, we have to take shelter in some other people’s houses,” said Sagar Mahali, Mantu Mahali and Shyamsundar Mahali.
Altogether 1,206 people have been provided land pattas under Jaga Mission while scores of people, who have already applied for pattas, are on a long wait.
PNN