BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday urged the newly-appointed chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of the Special Development Councils (SDCs) to accelerate tribal development while safeguarding the rich cultural heritage of indigenous communities. In his first interaction with the heads of 23 SDCs at Lok Seva Bhawan, Majhi said politics should be a means of serving the poor rather than enjoying power. He asked them to embrace the principle of Antyodaya by reaching the last person in the society.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra of ‘Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi’ (development as well as heritage), the chief minister said that economic progress must go hand in hand with the preservation of tribal language, art, culture and traditions.
He advised them to regularly visit villages, understand local problems and ensure that they are brought to the attention of district officials, departmental authorities and ministers for timely resolution. “We believe in work, not words. Serve the people with a ‘Yes, We Can’ attitude and success will follow,” he said.
Emphasising that tribal communities constitute nearly one-fourth of state’s population but continue to lag behind in development, the chief minister said his government has accorded special priority to their welfare since assuming office. Coordinated efforts for implementation of central and state welfare schemes would help bridge the developmental gap, he said.
Highlighting key initiatives, Majhi referred to the state’s measures such as proportional reservation in technical education, enhancement of pre-matric scholarships, the Shaheed Madho Singh pocket allowance scheme and support for micro-enterprises under the Chief Minister’s Tribal Livelihood Mission. The chief minister said the state has received Rs 18,371 crore under Article 275(1) of the Constitution for tribal development and welfare and the funds are being utilised for improving their lives.
Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes Development minister Nityananda Gond said the councils had been constituted to ensure development reaches the grassroots.
