BHUBANESWAR: More than 15 years after the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) proposed a full-fledged tribal welfare cell in the Governor’s secretariat of states having scheduled areas, Odisha with third-largest tribal population is yet to operationalise the unit.
Sources said despite repeated reminders from the Centre, including communications in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, the proposed institutional mechanism remains largely on paper. The tribal cell, envisaged as a key advisory body to assist the Governor in exercising constitutional powers, was meant to play a critical role in overseeing the administration of tribal areas, monitoring implementation of welfare measures and protecting tribal rights and culture.
According to documents accessed by TNIE, the MoTA had proposed the establishment of the cell along with its structure in December 2010. A formal communication was sent to the then chief secretary with a recommended staffing plan. A reminder was also sent for the constitution of the proposed cell on priority basis in 2011.
While states like Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh acted promptly and set up functional tribal cells in their respective Raj Bhavans, Odisha is yet to operationalise a full-fledged cell. The issue also figured in national-level deliberations, including the conference of Governors held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in 2014 and subsequent years. Yet, the matter remained unresolved.
Instead of setting up the cell as proposed, the state government informed in 2014 that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI), SC&ST Development department and the Tribes Advisory Council (TAC) would assist the Governor in tribal affairs.
Accordingly as an alternative arrangement, the state government in 2019 had deployed two retired faculty of Anthropology as officers on special duty to operate the tribal cell ad-interim to temporarily handle responsibilities related to tribal matters in Raj Bhavan. After one of them expressed the inability to continue, the SC and ST Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare (SSDMBCW) has recently deputed a joint director rank officer to the cell.
Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati in a recent review meeting also stressed the need for the tribal cell consisting of senior officers to advise him on the tribal issues, related legislations, constitutional provisions and to prepare annual reports. The Governor’s secretariat has also again urged the chief secretary to act without further delay and set up the cell as conceptualised.
The Governor’s office has outlined the requirement including deployment of a deputy director or joint director rank officer, an assistant director from SCSTRTI, subject experts in anthropology and tribal law, an MIS expert and full-time or part-time supporting staff apart from the nomination of two eminent advisors for the cell.