A ground-level investigation by members of the Odisha unit of CPI(M) has hinted that hundreds of tribal families in remote Swabhiman Anchal of Odisha’s Malkangiri district are left out from the food security and other pro-poor government schemes.
These poor tribal families are the worst sufferers during the continuing lockdown for COVID-19. CPI(M) members living in villages of Swabhiman Anchal adhered to the norms of social distancing to conduct this investigation in eight villages in Gajalmamudi, Badapada and Deoguda panchayats.
Ground-level inquiry
Their ground-level enquiry located 136 extremly poor tribal families, who are left out from the food security and pro-poor schemes of the government. “This small investigation in eight villages is an indicator of hundreds of similar tribal families left out of pro-poor schemes in Swabhiman Anchal”, said State secretary of CPI(M) Ali Kishor Patnaik.
Mr. Patnaik has written to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik about the plight of the poor tribals with an request for immediate measures to save them. “We will also provide the list of poor tribal families who are left out for necessary action,” the CPI(M) leader added.
Swabhiman Anchal was a cut-off area in Balimela reservoir with over 150 villages that got road connection to mainland Odisha in 2018 with the opening of the Gurupriya bridge. Even now several interior villages of Swabhiman Anchal are not connected by roads. Swabhiman Anchal is the most deprived area in Maoist-infested Malkangiri district.
No panchayat polls
The hilly terrain of Swabhiman Anchal reduces the scope of cultivation. Due to the Maoist threat, panchayat elections could not be held in the area.
Lack of elected panchayat bodies became a stumbling the block in identification and inclusion of tribal families of the region in the list of beneficiaries of government schemes, including food security. The administration has also neglected this region because of Maoist threat and lack of proper communication network.
The Swabhiman Anchal tribals are also victims of collateral damage due to continuing fight between Maoists and security forces. Most inhabitants of the area are menial labourers and collectors of forest produce. But they do not get minimum daily wage prescribed by the State government and proper price for their forest produce, said Mr. Patnaik.
The CPI(M) has urged the State government to immediately reach out to each and every tribal family in Swabhiman Anchal, so that they are saved from starvation.
