MALKANGIRI: District collector Somesh Kumar Upadhyay on Monday reviewed various development projects in the Bonda hill area and issued directions to expedite works aimed at improving livelihoods, infrastructure and tourism potential in the region.
The collector first visited Sisaput village under Baddural gram panchayat and inspected the vegetable cultivation cluster being implemented under the Chief Minister’s Tribal Livelihood Mission. He interacted with farmers and encouraged them to expand cultivation for better income. Stressing the need for post-harvest management, he directed the PA, ITDA to take steps for proper storage of onions produced in the area.
Upadhyay also inspected the under-construction viewpoint on the Baddural-Andrahal road and asked officials to ensure installation of steel railings and all necessary facilities for tourists.
At Andrahal village, he reviewed the progress of 179 rural houses being built under the PM Janman Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan and instructed the ITDA to speed up the work. Steps are being taken to develop the village as a model village.
The collector directed the Khairput block development officer to renovate the Andrahal panchayat office. He asked the ITDA and the Horticulture department to jointly ensure kitchen gardens in every household and to explore setting up multi-processing units for local produce like jackfruit and tamarind.
Later, he visited Bondapada village and expressed satisfaction over the strawberry and capsicum cultivation. He instructed officials to provide necessary support so that farmers can take up more remunerative crops. The ITDA was asked to facilitate solar lifts, drip irrigation, borewells and check dams, and provide skill upgradation training to make farmers more self-reliant in the coming years.
The Rural Development officials were asked to expedite road works in the area.