OTV took stock of the developmental activities in two remote areas in Gajapati and Jajpur districts where motorable roads, education, communication, pucca houses and electricity are still inaccessible to the masses.
Kumutipankala village, a small hamlet under G. Udaygiri block in Gajapati district, which is home to around 40 tribal families is deprived of all government facilities.
Locals of the village have been reeling under muddy roads during rainy season every year. In absence of an all-weather road, they even struggle to reach nearby local market for daily needs.
Alleging administrative negligence, locals said that their repeated complaints have fallen in the deaf ears of the authorities.
Every family still depends on the kerosene lamp to fight darkness as electricity connection has remained far away from them. To add to their woes, the solar light system has also become defunct in the village.
At a time when government is boasting of making provisions of pucca houses to all, the claim has fallen flat here in this village as only four out of 40 families in the region have been included under Biju Pucca Ghara scheme.
When asked, local BDO assured to sort out the issues of the villagers on priority basis.
“We have taken steps to include the kutcha road under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. It would be converted into an all-weather road soon,” said Pradip Kumar Nayak, BDO
With a similar fate, Thatari Sahi under Binjharpur block in Jajpur district is also struggling to get government aid under various schemes.
Around 20 families are residing in the village and none of them have been granted shelter under the housing scheme.
Communication, health care, education and safe drinking water are still miles away from the village.
Locals alleged that they had knocked the door of administration several times for pucca shelter, but to no avail.
On the other hand, Jajpur Collector Chakravarti Singh Rathore has assured to prepare a list of eligible beneficiaries soon so that locals can be provided house under government scheme. Other issues of the villagers would also be look into, he said.
“I have already instructed the BDO to look into the road issue first. Secondly, I have directed the concerned officials to enquire into the allegation of kutcha houses. Those who are have not included in pucca house scheme, they will get soon,” he added.
Orphaned Rajesh Narayan (10) in ward No-1 of Malkangiri Municipality is an example of how the programme to address malnutrition in the district has failed. "How will I take him to hospital without any money as we both have to sustain with Rs 300 only. His father and mother have passed away and I am the only person taking his care," said Rajesh's grandmother Kusuma Narayan.
On the other hand, the story of two elderly women Sundari Kanhar and Dutika Kanhar at Panchayat Sahi in Solaguda Village under Phiringia Tehsil of Kandhamal district who are living in abject poverty in absence of ration cards, pension and other government facilities reveal how the promises of social security have not been fulfilled.
"We are not getting any food items or any ration card. We are not able to work in this age and are leading a very difficult life," said Dutika Kanhar.
District visits by the secretaries have revealed various such irregularities and negligence in sectors such as education, health, rural electrification and transportation.
Under such circumstances, Odisha’s opposition to the appointment of Prabhari (in-charge) officers (IAS) in eight most backward districts of state by the Centre seems surprising. Claiming that senior IAS officers have already been appointed by the State for monitoring the developmental works in all the districts, Odisha has opposed the Centre’s scheme.
"The report of the officers appointed by State government has proved that development is unable to reach the people in Odisha. There is some irregularity somewhere and if the Centre has extended support the State government should be glad rather than oppose the move," said senior BJP leader Pratap Chandra Sarangi.
"Many backward districts are facing various irregularities and an impartial report of the officers would have exposed the false claims of the State government," said Leader of Opposition, Narasingha Mishra.
"The secretaries have reported the success and failures of various development programmes based on which the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary will take appropriate measures. What extra will an officer appointed by the Centre will do?" questioned BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb.
Meanwhile, the State government has initiated action based on the findings in the reports submitted by the secretaries.
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Struggling to make both ends meet, he says inconsolably, "Anyone else in my place would have ended life. If on any given day I do not go outside to earn wage, my children go hungry. How long would I bear it?" he added.
Once a happy family, his children were studying in school and colleges and his joy knew no bounds when his elder son took admission into a technical education course. However, that happiness was momentary. His elder son went missing and other three children became mentally unstable. Since then, Bharat and his wife have been left to fend for themselves in a dilapidated hut.
"If the government doesn't come to their rescue, a family would be ruined completely," said Damayanti Mallik, a neighbour.
At least old age pension and medical aid under government welfare schemes would be of great help to the family that has been struggling to survive, said another villager.
The old woman of Kantala village in Chakroda panchayat of Kendrapara lived with her daughter’s family as she had no son. She was brought to her own village for her last rites. But neither neighbours nor relatives came to support them to carry the dead body. So her daughter and nephew carried it in a trolley and took it to the crematorium.
There too the poor family alleged they had to wait for hours and still did not get any support under the Harishchandra Scheme wherein the state government provides immediate financial assistance for conducting last rites to poor.
“When we called the Sarpanch for assistance under the scheme, he said there is no fund in the account,” said the nephew of the old woman.
Under this program, the State government has provides financial assistance to the tune of Rs 25,000 per couple married after March 2014 though a labour card. The beneficiaries are required to get their credentials verified by the local Sarpanch and subsequently apply for the benefits to the district Labour officer.
However, the Sarpanch of Choramuhan panchayat has approached the district and State labour officer alleging that that a lot couples married before 2014 have applied for benefits under the program by forging documents. Similarly, the BDO of Dharmasala block has also intimated the Collector about the irregularities after which the district labour officer has said that required action will be taken after conducting an inquiry into the matter.
This scheme puts in place several initiatives to ensure a life of dignity and safety for all formal and informal sanitation workers engaged in core sanitation services in urban areas of the state.
Garima will be implemented by the Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department through 114 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of Odisha.
An initial corpus fund of Rs 50 crore will be made available to extend financial support for the implementation of the scheme.
"In spite of the nation making several strides in various sectors competing with the best in the world, these underprivileged people were made to render this invaluable service to the society for generations, deprived of safety, dignity and a decent livelihood, apart from suffering social stigma and exclusion," said the Chief Minister.
"Our conscience can never be calmed if we don't take steps to correct this injustice. My government has therefore decided to launch a scheme to ensure safety and dignity of core sanitation workers," he added.
H&UD Minister Pratap Jena said the scheme is a first-of-its-kind by any state in the country to provide a comprehensive package institutionalising and regulating the core sanitation services, providing service level benefits, social security and financial benefits to core sanitation workers and their families.
Approximately, 20,000 core sanitation workers and their families with about one lakh population will be benefited by the scheme, Jena said.
As stipulated in the scheme, the working hours of sanitation workers will be limited to 6 hours per day, and they, along with their family members, will also be covered under a health insurance scheme with periodic health check-ups.
The corpus fund will also ensure ex-gratia payment to compensate the sanitation workers in case of partial and permanent disability due to accidents and injury.
Additionally, Employees' Provident Fund, retirement benefits and post service benefits such as family pension are also listed under the provisions of the scheme.
Department secretary G. Mathi Vathanan said, "Odisha government has always believed in inclusivity and the launch of this scheme reiterates the idea of inclusive governance and development. Creating frameworks and policies that protect sanitation workers is critical to India's journey towards a sanitation ecosystem (which operates informally on caste basis) that is inclusive and sustainable."
(IANS)
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