BHUBANESWAR : The state government is pushing for the second phase of Odisha PVTG Empowerment and Livelihoods Improvement Programme (OPELIP-II) with International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) support.
The ST and SC Development department has proposed to implement OPELIP-II with an estimated Rs 2,422.13 crore from IFAD which includes a loan component of Rs 734.86 crore.
However, the government decision to use a loan from the international agency even when the Centre has two important schemes — PM-JANMAN Mission for PVTG development and PM Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan — for saturation of existing schemes in all tribal villages with a combined allocation of over Rs 1 lakh crore for the country has baffled many.
Stakeholders, including economists and tribal activists have flagged concerns about the lack of accountability and duplication of efforts as they claim the second phase is planned without proper evaluation of outcome of the first.
The OPELIP-I was implemented since 2015-16 with an outlay of Rs 711.25 crore of which Rs 319.29 crore was a loan from IFAD. Aimed at livelihood improvement of 13 PVTG for a period of eight years, the project closed in September.
As per the financial closure report (accessed by The New Indian Express), while the total expenditure in the project pegged at Rs 669.17 crore (94 per cent of the estimate), the state government’s share was Rs 120.42 crore, besides the convergence funds of Rs 229.46 crore.
The programme was implemented through 17 micro project agencies in 12 districts of Malkangiri, Rayagada, Angul, Deogarh, Ganjam, Nuapada, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Mayurbhanj covering around 96,651 households in 1,125 villages under 89 gram panchayats.
While key objectives of the programme were capacity building of PVTGs’ entitlements over land and forest, ensuring community infrastructure, food and nutrition security, livelihoods opportunities and improved agriculture practices for increase in production, besides establishment of micro enterprises as alternative source of livelihoods, source said, no independent evaluation has been conducted to assess the impact and outcomes.
In absence of detailed performance metrics of the first phase, tribal activists question the need for the second phase of the project targeting the same demography, especially when substantial resources are already being funnelled into tribal development by the Centre under two of its flagship schemes.
“Odisha is in the focus of the Centre now. When the state has substantial budgetary provisions for PVTGs and tribal development through central schemes, why push for a project with a loan component?” asked an activist. The projects are primarily executed through field NGOs.
Even as the cabinet gave its nod to OPELIP-II on December 7 last, the Ministry of Finance has sent a project readiness checklist to ST&SC Development department for furnishing requisite information at the earliest to initiate loan negotiation process with IFAD.
The NITI Aayog also reportedly sought clarity on the objectives of the second phase and how it plans to build on the outcomes of the first phase.
PVTG plan
Rs 2,422.13 crore estimate for OPELIP-II
Rs 734.86 crore IFAD loan component
Rs 669.17 crore spent in OPELIP-I
Rs 319.29 crore IFAD loan component
Project aimed at livelihood improvement of 13 PVTG for eight years
Implemented through 17 micro project agencies in 12 districts