Govt to establish spl tribal development councils in 9 dists

Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced that his government has decided to establish special development councils in nine tribal-dominated districts of Mayurbhanj, Kalahandi, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Gajapati, Malkangiri and Kandhamal.
Chairing the cabinet meeting at secretariat here, the chief minister said, “These development councils will take up cultural, educational and economic development in harmony with the unique identity and ethos of the people.”
According to chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi, through these councils, a sum of Rs 175.50 crore will be invested every year to uplift the tribals of the state. Every block of these nine districts will be given an assistance of Rs 1.5 crore each year. The councils will also have 62 tribal representatives, who will participate in the decision-making process, he added.
The state cabinet, which also met on Tuesday, had given its approval to 19 important proposals including introduction of a special law to prohibit illegal fishing in Chilika Lake.