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New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
CM Mohan Charan Majhi asserts commitment to empower farmers of Odisha
BALANGIR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday dedicated and laid foundation stones for projects worth Rs 300 crore in Balangir district. Addressing a huge gathering at 'Krushak Shakti Samavesh' here, the CM said the state government is committed to providing all kinds of mechanical and technological support to empower the farmers of Odisha. 'One of our key promises during the elections was to ensure that lakhs of farmers in the state receive the true value of their hard work. Today, we are fulfilling that promise,' he said. Highlighting the political representation of Balangir, Majhi noted that two ministers from the district are part of the Odisha Cabinet. 'This is no longer just a double-engine government — it's a triple-engine one. Development in Balangir is progressing at three times the speed, and this momentum will continue,' he said. Majhi also said more than 60 per cent of Odisha's population depends on agriculture and allied sectors. By May this year, 78,681 agricultural equipment have been provided to farmers. Besides, a subsidy of Rs 459.68 crore was given to them through direct benefit transfer. 'The state government is working with commitment to provide irrigation facilities to more and more farmers. Within five years, the aim is to bring irrigation to 15 lakh hectare unirrigated land,' he said. Under the CM Krushak Yojana, farmers are being provided with Rs 4,000 financial support. On the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, 2,381 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) farmers and 25,532 urban farmers were included among a total of 50 lakh marginal and small farmers who received a total financial assistance of Rs 1,025 crore, said Majhi. The CM further said under Shri Anna Abhiyan, forgotten traditional grains are being revived. Nutrient-based agriculture is improving the income of small and marginal farmers. Currently, all government schools in the state are providing mandia (millet) ladoos to students from pre-school to Class 10. Among others, deputy CM KV Singh Deo, ministers Mukesh Mahaling, Rabi Narayan Naik and Gokulananda Malik, Balangir MP Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Bargarh MP Pradeep Purohit and MLAs of Kantabanji, Titlagarh and Birmaharajpur were present.
Hans India
14-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
Tribals face ration access crisis amidst long treks, eKYC glitches
Paderu (Asr District): Tribal communities in Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district, particularly those residing in Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) villages and remote hilly regions, are grappling with severe challenges in accessing essential ration supplies. The absence of local ration depots in most villages is forcing residents to trek arduous distances of 10 to 30 km, often through rough, undulating terrain, to reach the nearest distribution point. Compounding the problem are widespread issues with the eKYC (electronic Know Your Customer) process, which locals report, is failing in several areas, creating additional hurdles for beneficiaries. Since ration depots are typically situated at panchayat headquarters, the considerable distances between villages and the critical lack of transport facilities are leaving many tribals stranded without access to their entitled provisions. 'There are no roads or transport facilities connecting many of these villages. In some distressing cases, beneficiaries are being carried in stretchers just to complete their eKYC registration,' stated Dara Ravi, a social worker from Gowridevipeta in Yetapaka mandal, highlighting the dire situation. The impact of these challenges is evident across the district. In Dayeti panchayat of Ananthagiri mandal, the nearest ration depot is a daunting 15 km away. Residents of Jajulabanda and surrounding villages in Koyyuru mandal, comprising approximately 180 ration card holders, now face a 26-km journey, a significant increase from the previous system where a mobile ration van would serve them within a 6-km radius. The recent discontinuation of these mobile ration vans has exacerbated the crisis for remote tribal settlements. Govind, a tribal community leader from Gummi panchayat, detailed the extent of the hardship: villagers from Kalyanagummi, Karriguda and Kadarevu must walk between 10 and 30 kilometres to collect their rations. Similarly, residents of Madarebu (Pedakota panchayat), Buriga and Chinna Konela (Rompelli panchayat) face a 16-kilometre journey. In NR Puram Panchayat, villages such as DK Pathi, Chimidivalasa, and Rayapadu are 12 kilometres from the nearest depot. Villagers of Thalaripadu in Ananthagiri mandal also endure a 12-kilometer trek for their monthly supplies. The issue is not isolated, with many tribal villages in G Madugula mandal also awaiting improved access. Some villagers express frustration, suggesting that establishing permanent ration depots in each village before discontinuing the mobile van service would have been a more effective transition. However, others recall inherent flaws in the previous mobile delivery system. 'Earlier, the van would come just once a month without a fixed schedule. If we missed that day, we lost our rations entirely,' recounted Satyanarayana from Gowridevipeta. He acknowledged that the current system, which allows rations to be collected from shops for up to 15 days each month, offers a slight improvement in availability but remains largely inaccessible for many due to distance. Addressing the pressing issue, CPM leader K Govind Rao has urged the government to establish new ration shops strategically, ensuring that every tribal habitation has access to a depot within a 10-km radius. He emphasised that this measure, combined with robust improvements in road infrastructure and the provision of reliable transport facilities in remote tribal areas, would significantly alleviate the hardships faced by these vulnerable communities in accessing essential commodities.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
700 PVTG ration card holders out of Ayushman in Palamu
1 2 3 Daltonganj: Around 7,000 ration card holders belonging to the particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) communities in Palamu are yet to get the Ayushman card. There are around 14,000 PVTG ration card holders in the district. This was detected during the review meeting of the health services by deputy commissioner Sameera S on Monday. "All ration card holders of the PVTG should be provided with the Ayushman card at the earliest," she directed civil surgeon Dr Anil Kumar. Speaking to TOI, Dr Kumar said, "Aadhaar cards of the PVTG ration card holders have not been updated. Further, they are not linked to mobile phones, which is a major reason of the gap." The issue of middlemen influencing blood bank was also raised. The DC told the officials, "I received three complaints in one week about middlemen dominating the blood bank. Identify such elements and control them. It's unacceptable." The issue of ambulances was also taken up. Last week, an accident victim died in the sub-divisional hospital in Hussainabad as there was no oxygen nor could she be taken to any higher centre as the driver had left his ambulance parked and taken the key.
Hans India
05-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
Prakasam collector visits Veligonda rehabilitation colony
Markapur: Prakasam district collector A Thameem Ansariya visited the Idupuru-1 Housing Colony, a rehabilitation colony for the ousters of the Pula Subbaiah Veligonda Project, and interacted with the beneficiaries on Wednesday. She directed the housing and municipal officials to expedite the completion of houses currently under construction. During her tour, the collector reviewed the progress of ongoing house construction work. Housing Project Director Srinivas Prasad briefed the collector on the current status of the housing project, revealing that while 2,310 houses have been sanctioned in the Idupuru-1 housing layout, only 154 houses have been completed so far. The remaining construction work is at various stages, with 37 houses at roof level, 430 houses at roof casting stage, and 519 houses at plinth level. Speaking during the inspection, the collector emphasised the need to create awareness among housing beneficiaries about the state government's additional financial assistance. She explained that beyond the standard unit value of Rs 1.80 lakh for house completion, the government is providing supplementary financial support of Rs 50,000 for SC and BC community house construction, Rs 75,000 for ST community construction, and Rs 1 lakh for PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) beneficiaries. Ansariya instructed the housing and municipal department officials to leverage this information to motivate beneficiaries and accelerate the completion of house construction. She specifically directed attention to houses at roof level and roof casting stages, emphasising the need for immediate action to complete these structures. To ensure systematic progress, the collector ordered officials to establish daily targets for stage conversion and implement measures to accelerate the pace of house construction across all ongoing projects. Markapur sub-collector Sahadit Venkata Trivinag, Housing PD Srinivas Prasad, Markapur Municipal Commissioner Narayana, tahsildar Chiranjeevi, and other officials accompanied the district collector during the site visit.
The Hindu
02-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Jeelugulova tribals rejoice on getting electricity for the first time in their hamlets
The tribal people of Jeelugulova hamlet of the Cheemalapadu panchyat in the Anakapalli district were in a jubilant mood as they danced in gay abandon to the tunes of Dhimsa on Sunday (June 1, 2025) night. They had enough reason to cheer as their village got electricity for the first time. The hilltop village, located atop Samalammakonda, has a population of 50 persons, belonging to the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) Kondh tribe. The villagers recall how they used to move with 'kagadalu' (traditional torches with wooden sticks lit at one end) to scare away wild animals apart from helping them in finding their way through the thickets. They used to mostly remain indoors after dark for fear of wild animals. 'There are eight families but electricity meters were installed in only six households, as two families had no Aadhaar card. Two poles were erected on the streets in our hamlet. We have been staying here for the past 16 years, before that our ancestors used to live here (Jajulabandha), some of them had died while others had migrated to other places in the Agency areas,' Korra Mahesh told The Hindu on Monday (June 2, 2025). 'Before coming here, we were living in Sadangi village of the G. Madugula mandal. We are very happy that electricity has finally arrived in our village. The line is being extended to Pasuvulabandha, another hamlet, towards the far end of the hill. The electricity department staff had a tough time in carrying the poles to the hilltop. Each pole had to be carried by six men, and we (tribal people) helped them in the task,' he recalls. 'The lack of a road to our village is a stumbling block in the development of our village. In the absence of drinking water taps, we have to fetch water from the 'voota' (spring), located about half-a-kilometre from our village,' he adds. The villagers had staged protests at the Zilla Parishad in the Visakhapatnam city on several occasions in the past seeking provision of electricity and formation of a road to their hamlet. The news was prominently reported in The Hindu had also other English dailies, apart from Telugu newspapers. The District Collector of Anakapalli visited Jeelugulova village in 2022 and directed the officials concerned to provide basic amenities in the hamlet. Narsipatnam RDO Ronanki Govinda Rao and other Divisional-level officials visited the village and subsequently the Aadhar and the ration cards were issued to the villagers. They were also promised power supply and drinking water facility. They were provided electricity facility under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) scheme. Korra Balaraju of Jeelugulova, and CPI-M district secretariat member K. Govinda Rao thanked the AP EPDCL Engineering officials and the Anakapalli district Collector.
