Baripada: The government effort to revive art, culture, tradition, customs and shrines of tribal communities has been left halfway in Mayurbhanj district. Significantly, a proposal for a tribal museum has been a victim of official red tapism.
The Special Development Council (DSC) has been formed to push cultural and social development of tribal communities through revival of their art, culture and tradition. But the posts of chairman and vice chairman of the SDC have been lying vacant.
Various developmental works, which are supposed to be carried forward, have taken a backseat.
Dr Debashish Marandi was the chairman of the SDC. He has been appointed as the executive president of the district unit of BJD. Marandi was given a BJD ticket and had contested from this Lok Sabha seat in the recent general elections. He had to resign from the post. After his debacle in the election, he was rehabilitated as executive president of the BJD in the district.
Basanti Hembram was the vice chairperson of the SDC. She was given party ticket to contest from Karanjia assembly seat. She had to resign from the post.
BJD leader Golak Nayak was one of its members. He had to resign from his post as he was given chance to contest from Jashipur assembly seat.
Though several months have passed after the elections, the government has taken no step to fill up the vacancies.
The SDC had sent a proposal to the state government to set up a tribal museum, but no step has been taken in this direction.
While launching the SDC, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said has said the councils will create a new chapter in the preservation and promotion of tribal culture and tradition, heritage and unique identity of tribal communities in tandem with their socio-economic development. There are 62 tribal communities and 13 particularly vulnerable tribal groups in the state. Preservation of their unique cultural identity is the major objective of his government, Patnaik had said.
PNN