Hundreds of economically disadvantaged children, especially those belonging to the SC and ST communities, have been deprived of higher studies due to the callous attitude of revenue and district officials.
Sources said the students are yet to receive Residence, Income and Caste Certificates. Hundreds of poor families in the district do not have their own land as a result of which they reside on Government land in different villages. Though the State Government has the provision to provide land Patta up to 10 decimal to the poor, including daily wagers and homesteadless families under Vasundhara Yojana, these hapless people are yet to get the benefit.
Non-issuance of land documents has deprived the SC and ST children of higher studies in Binka, Tarbha, Birmaharajpur, Dunguripali, Ullunda and Sonepur blocks.
Besides many villages such as Sargaj, Baghia, Balikhamar of Tarbha block and other areas of the district have settled on Government land as they have not been given the required documents by the Revenue Department despite repeated appeals.
Social activist Bharat Bhusan Bagarty meanwhile urged the intervention of National Commissioner for Scheduled Caste, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, PD DRDA and Tehsildars to provide land patta to these families.
The administration has provided electricity, ration card, old age and widow pensions to these families, but they are yet to get proper land documents.