Finance
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi presided over a meeting of the Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) at Lok Seva Bhawan, highlighting the state government’s commitment to the inclusive and culturally sensitive development of Odisha’s tribal tribes.
The Chief Minister addressed the meeting, which was attended by 18 Council members, and stated that indigenous people should be considered as equal players in the state’s development process rather than just recipients of government services. He emphasized several Central and State government initiatives aimed at tribal welfare and advocated for a comprehensive approach that combines economic development with the preservation of cultural and religious traditions.
Majhi stressed the importance of paying special attention to indigenous populations’ religious beliefs, as well as livelihood and economic growth. He advocated paying compensation to priests serving in tribal villages, as well as focusing development and protection efforts on tribal houses of worship. The Chief Minister stated that a final decision on the idea would be made after careful consideration and further debate.
Several major proposals were presented during the meeting. To support sustainable livelihoods, the Council agreed to push for more eco-tourism activities in tribal areas, as well as the extension of tribal homestays. It also emphasized the significance of recording Records of Rights (RoR) for Scheduled Tribes in both Odia and English to provide greater accessibility and transparency.
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI) was asked to do extensive research and provide suggestions to the next TAC meeting regarding the inclusion of additional communities in the Scheduled Tribe category. Proposals received from the Governor’s office were also scheduled for debate at the upcoming Council meeting.
Another key decision was made to form an inter-departmental committee to review Odisha-specific laws under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) and provide suggestions to the Tribal Advisory Council at its next meeting.
The Council also suggested expanding academic possibilities at Ekalavya Model Residential Schools by including Arts and Commerce streams alongside Science in Classes 11 and 12.
The meeting was attended by Scheduled Castes and Tribes Development Minister Nityananda Gond, Keonjhar MP Ananta Nayak, Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi, Council members, and MLAs. Senior officials in attendance included Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Deo Ranjan Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Satyabrata Sahu, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Saswat Mishra, Principal Secretary (Law) Pabitra Mohan Samal, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the ST & SC Development Department B. Parameswaran, Secretary of Panchayati Raj Department Girish S.N., and other officials.
