Opposition Congress and BJP members on Thursday came down heavily on the State Government for failing to bring developments in tribal-dominated districts and ameliorate the lot of people belonging to SC and ST categories during its 16 years of rule.

“Below 20 per cent of funds coming from the Union Government under the SCSP and TSP programmes is being spent in Odisha every year. No development has been effected in tribal areas. Tribal people have not been provided forest land under the FRA Act. They have also not been provided NFSA Cards. The Government has turned tribals’ killer,” charged Bhujabal Majhi of Congress while participating in an Adjournment Motion.

He said the State Government should feel ashamed of incidents of malnutrition deaths in Jajpur district’s Nagada village and Dana Majhi of Kalahandi carrying his wife’s body on his shoulders and walking down 12 km due to nonavailability of ambulance. He too criticized the Government for killing of six civilians by security personnel in Kandhamal district’s Gumudumaha village.

Similarly, Congress members Dr Prafualla Majhi, Krushna Chandra Sagaria and Kailash Chandra Kulesika and BJP member Rabi Narayan Nayak slammed the Government for not providing roads, schools and healthcare facilities in tribal-dominated villages. “About 40 per cent of population of the State belongs to the SC and ST categories. These people do not represent proportionately in Government jobs and higher educational institutions due callous attitude of the Government,” alleged Majhi. However, ruling members like Padmanav Behera, Balabhadra Majhi, Pramilla Mallick and Mangala Kishan refuted the Opposition charges.

In his reply, Minister of State for SC and ST Development Sudam Marandi said the State Government has taken up many programmes for socio-economic and cultural development of the SC and ST people. “Tribal Sub Plan and Scheduled Caste Sub Plans have been made for development of the ST and SC areas. In the State Plan Budget, 22.85 per cent funds for the TSP and 17.13 per cent funds for the SCSP have been allocated,” he said.

He said four lakh students belonging to SC and ST categories have been put in 5,000 hostels to provide them quality education. As many as 1,670 residential schools are operating for them, he said.

Besides, he stated about various programmes and said the Government is all careful about development of the SC and ST people. Dissatisfied over the Minister’s reply, Congress and BJP members staged walkouts.