Odisha Govt Launches ‘Gramodaya’ to Boost Socio-Economic Condition in 10 LWE-Affected Districts

Bhubaneswar: 09-Oct-2024;The state government has initiated ‘Gramodaya’, a program designed to deliver the full benefits of welfare programs to people in districts affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE). This initiative will encompass 583 villages across 10 LWE-impacted districts.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi unveiled the scheme during a conference of LWE-affected states’ chief ministers, presided over by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Monday.

The Panchayati Raj department announced the initiative on Tuesday, with plans to implement it in the districts of Bargarh, Balangir, Boudh, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, and Rayagada.

To execute these schemes comprehensively, all state government departments will collaborate, using budget allocations from various departments dedicated to different schemes, as per official sources. The notification highlighted that ‘Gramodaya’ aims to fill significant gaps in public infrastructure, services, and livelihood support in the most LWE-affected areas of the state. Moreover, it seeks to guarantee the complete implementation of public welfare schemes and essential services, fostering a strong bond of trust between the government, administration, and the public..

A team of officials will carry out a baseline survey in LWE regions to pinpoint deficiencies across various sectors. Line departments will identify eligible beneficiaries for enrollment in government programs. Jana Sampark Shivirs will be set up in selected villages to guarantee the delivery of scheme benefits to the rightful recipients. Additionally, special awareness drives and outreach efforts will be organized.

To foster public involvement in decision-making, gram sabhas will convene regularly to deliberate and resolve issues. A robust grievance redressal system will be established at the GP, block, and district levels to log and address complaints. Eligibility criteria will be relaxed to ensure inclusion of every family.

Furthermore, a 17-member state-level committee led by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja has been formed to oversee the scheme’s execution consistently. At the district and block levels, the committee will be under the leadership of the collector and the block development officer, respectively.