Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the programs of the SC& ST Development

Bhubaneswar: 1 6/7/24:Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today reviewed the programs of the Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste Development Department at Lok Seva Bhawan and gave some important instructions for the all-round development of ST, SC children.

The Chief Minister emphasized improving the quality of food for children in the hostels run by the ST & SC Development Department. Along with this, the Chief Minister also suggested giving utmost importance to health, safety and cleanliness. The CM has also suggested that ministers and secretaries visit schools and hostels regularly and check their management methods.

During the discussion, approval has been given to upgrade 14 high schools under the department into higher secondary schools in the state. The Chief Minister directed that at least 10 high schools should be upgraded into higher secondary schools this year. Further, there is a need to up-gradate more high schools to reduce the dropout rate, the Chief Minister said.

Similarly, the hostels of various primary schools in the state are managed by the ST & SC Development Department. This is particularly the case in tribal-dominated districts. However, since the conditions of its hostels are not good, they are being improved and new hostels are being built. It was informed in the meeting that the program for the development of 301 hostels has been taken up in the first phase in the Undivided Koraput district.

The Chief Minister said that there is a need for the development of the hostels in all the tribal areas. He suggested to speed up the programme and also ordered to increase the capacity to 100 as per requirement.

Discussion was also held on the establishment of Ekalavya Model Schools. While 114 schools have been approved for Odisha, 32 schools are currently in operation and 15 more schools are scheduled to open this year. The Chief Minister suggested the speedy establishment of the schools which required approval, especially the forest land approval process.

Along with this, other important programs were also discussed in the meeting including Madho Singh Hath Kharcha Yojana, Forest Land Rights Yojana, Anwesha, PM Janman, and Special Development Council.

Minister of ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department, Nityananda Gond, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Nikunja Bihari Dhal, and Satyabrat Sahu ACS, Department of Revenue and Forest and Environment, Roopa Roshan Sahoo Secretary, Department of ST & SC Development and other senior officers were present in the meeting.