Bhubaneswar: A new scheme ‘Mo Jungle Jami Yojana’ launched in Odisha will ensure right to hold and live in forest land to all eligible ST forest dwellers, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said.
The scheme would ensure recognition of Community Rights over forest land, Patnaik said while addressing the Tribes Advisory Council meeting here Tuesday.
Odisha Government, he said has been taking sustained interventions to improve the socio-economic conditions and realize the educational needs of the tribal communities.
Odisha, the Chief Minister claimed, is one of the leading states in providing residential facilities to tribal students. Hostel facilities are available to more than six lakh students.
In the last 20 years, the number of High Schools under the ST&SC Development Department has almost doubled, from 215 to 422. Similarly, 62 Higher Secondary Schools have been opened for providing Higher Secondary Education. Education, livelihood and protection of the rights of the tribals have been the focus area of the government, Patnaik said.
Patnaik said Odisha has submitted a proposal to the Union Government for expansion of the Odisha PVTG Empowerment & Livelihoods Improvement Programme for implementation in newly notified 1,138 PVTG villages from 2024-25 onwards for a period of seven years.
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He said Special Development Councils have been playing a vital role to focus on promotion, protection and preservation of the tribal culture and traditions, heritage, and identity by involving the tribal people.
The Chief Minister said a one-time financial assistance up to Rs 50,000 to needy ST-SC students from underprivileged backgrounds pursuing general degree courses in any government institution in the state will be provided from this year.
The state, he said, has introduced Mukhya Mantri Jivika Mission as one of the largest exclusive tribal livelihood promotion initiatives.
With a budgetary allocation of Rs 500 crore, the scheme will provide support to 1.5 lakh tribal households in 121 TSP blocks of the state over a three-year period from 2022-23 to 2025-26, Patnaik said.
UNI