With lack of basic amenities, Dasmi Majhi lived in the hilltop of Uper Nangal Baheli village since her childhood, but in the recent past, she saw a new life after getting a house under the Prime Minister Awas Yojna (PMAY).
Not only Dasmi, eight tribal families including 16 children were provided houses which was named 'Vikas Nagar' under Lanji GP in Kalahandi's Lanjigarh block.
Hilltop was their habitation for years but with the block officials' persuasion, they agreed to relocate. Forest was their only source of livelihood and it was not easy to bring them downhill.
Lanjigarh Block Development Officer Jitendra Mishra said that with implementation of Government schemes, a transformation was brought about in the tribals' lives. It took three months to convince them to adapt with a changed environment.
“They refused the administration to shift feeling insecured, but finally they agreed with consistent efforts by a team of officials,” the BDO said.
In the predominated tribal pockets of Lanjigarh block, most of the Kutia Kondhs live in hills isolated from mainstream. As a result, they don't get access to drinking water, electricity, education, housing scheme and public distribution system at their doorsteps. Apart from that there is absence of proper roads and ambulances cannot reach them on time.
The BDO said solar lights with two rooms alongwith toilets were built for them under various schemes including State Finance Commission (SFC) at a cost of Rs 70 lakh. Two tubewells were sunk too in Bikash Nagar.
From Vikas Nagar, a 500 meter long kuccha road was built up under MGNREGA which connected the main road that was completed in 22 days by hundreds of nearby villagers. They worked day and night in the jungle.
Dasmi, now a permanent resident of Vikas Nagar, says her husband still goes into deep forest for livelihood. Proper source of income for tribals is a huge challenge.
Zilla Parishad (ZP) Chairman of Kalahandi, Pushpendra Singhdeo who visited Vikas Nagar on Thursday said it was a difficult task for the block officials to bring the tribals downhill but "We need to provide them permanent source of income."
He told the media that the matter will be appraised to the higher authorities for providing land to each family so that they will cultivate and boost their income. It will encourage other inhabitants of the hilltop to shift, he said.
The Chairman further said that a proposal will be made where a kuchha road from Vikas Nagar to the main road will be made concrete.