Bhubaneswar: The state government has sanctioned Rs 116.09 crore during three years under Socio-Economic Transformation and Upliftment (SETU) scheme for the development of ‘Swabhiman Anchal’ (erstwhile cut-off region) of Malkangiri district.
According to official sources, Rs 49.23 crore was sanctioned in financial year 2018-19, while Rs 3.77 crore was released during FY 2019-20 and Rs 63.09 crore in the current financial year.
The government has allotted Rs 18.78 crore to SC and ST Development department for construction of an integrated education complex in the area and Rs 8.66 crore to School and Mass Education department for development of educational infrastructure during the three years.
Similarly, Rs 5 crore provided to Malkangiri Collector for promotion of livelihood in ‘Swabhiman Anchal’. The government has also allocated Rs 10 crore for livelihood support to self-help groups (SHGs) and Rs 1.23 crore to provide additional cost of Rs 1.5 lakh for construction of 82 Anganwadi centres.
For strengthening the power infrastructure in the undeveloped area, the government has released Rs 15.88 crore during the three years whereas Rs 8.04 crore was provided for procurement and release of fingerlings in Balimela Reservoir for providing livelihood support to 2,000 fishermen families. Likewise, about Rs 20 crore was sanctioned to Rural Development department for construction of 21 roads and five bridges, the source said.
The government has sanctioned Rs 9.39 crore for construction of 169 intra-village cement-concrete (CC) roads in nine gram panchayats (GPs) of the backward region in the southern district. Similarly, Rs 1.79 crore was allotted to provide additional Rs 20,000 per unit for construction of houses under rural housing schemes.
Besides, Rs 12 crore was released to Works department for construction of roads and bridges in the area.
Beneficiaries of the cut-off area are getting Rs 1.50 lakh for construction of pucca houses, sources said. In the first phase, the government has identified 895 people in the area to be covered under the rural housing schemes.
The government is also mulling to provide incentives to teachers, healthcare workers and Anganwadi workers posted in the region because many are reluctant to work in the Maoist-prone area, they said.
Meanwhile, Development Commissioner Suresh Chandra Mohapatra has asked various line departments to submit the detailed financial and physical progress made in the projects sanctioned under SETU scheme.
In July 2018, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had inaugurated Gurupriya Setu over Janbai River and announced Rs 100 crore for development of the area on the other side of the bridge, which was cut off for around five decades.