Members of Indigenous People’s Forum, Odisha held an Adivasi Darbar here and expressed their resentment over diversion of funds meant for tribal development for other purposes.They also threatened to stage a demonstration in front of the Assembly in near future if the Government fails to stop the practice at the earliest.
In 2014-15, major departments like Home, Forests and Environment, Water Resources, Energy, Works and Rural Development have diverted a total of Rs 1,161.48 crore towards other purposes. “The funds which were supposed to be utilised for promotion of socioeconomic development of STs at individual and family level have been utilised for the construction of jail, fire service building, houses for officials and major irrigation projects,” rued forum convenor Theophil Gomango.
Stating that the Tribal Sub Plan fund is also used to lend money to companies, Gomango said around Rs 91 crore of such funds was kept unspent in 2013-14 fiscal. “This is a matter of grave concern for the entire Adivsasi community of the State, which is home to 23 per cent of tribal population out of which 72 per cent are under the BPl category. At a time when a majority of tribals from southern and western Odisha migrate to other States in search of livelihoods and sometimes fall prey to all kinds of exploitations, it is shocking that the practice of diversion of TSP funds continues in Odisha,” said Gomango.