The State Government has decided to introduce a new programme for the Primitive Vulnerable Tribal Groups under the name ‘Odisha PVTG Empowerment and livelihood Improvement Programme (OPElIP)’ to be run on the lines of the OTElP.
The proposed scheme would be implemented at a total cost of `800 crore.
The State level Programme Steering Committee (SlPSC) met under chairmanship of Chief Secretary AP Padhi recently decided to retain current project staff of the OTElP (Odisha Tribal Empowerment and livelihoods Programme) till September 30, 2016.
The new Programme Management Unit (PMU) of OPElIP would function in the same premises where the OTElP is functioning.
The same PMU would also look after OTElP Plus (continuation of Phase-I and II), for which additional experts will be engaged.
The PMU will be one and there will be separate branches for the OPElIP and the OTElP Plus.
ST and SC Development Department Secretary Surendra Kumar gave a brief overview of all the activities that have been undertaken by the OTElP.
A total of `346.43 crores have been spent in the project for empowerment and promotion of livelihood activities for the tribals in 1,042 project villages in ITDA areas. While irrigation potential of 20,000 hectares have been created, around 8,000 tribal households have been supported with different economic units like, rice huller, grocery, carpentry, mobile repairing, cycle repairing and vegetable vending.
Piped drinking water has been supplied to 900 villages and 254 villages have been fully sanitised with erection of 12,000 toilets and bathrooms.
Apart from this, around 5,000 goatery units and 500 poultry units have been provided to the poor.