BHUBANESWAR: The Orissa Government on Tuesday announced a string of measures for tribal welfare including opening of residential tribal girls' high schools in 10 blocks of the State.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting of Tribes Advisory Council (TAC) here at the Secretariat, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said all the tribal populated blocks of the State would have these residential schools within the next three years.

Special emphasis

Pointing out that literacy rate among tribal women was very low in Kandhamal, Gajapati and undivided Koraput district he said special emphasis would be given in those areas to improve their education.

Mr. Patnaik reiterated the State Government's earlier promise to provide hostel facilities to one lakh tribal girls. "As many as 557 tribal girls' hostels were constructed in 2006-2007 and rest hostels would be completed by coming June. About 110 girls hostels would be built under Biju KBK Yojna this year," Mr. Patnaik said.

Similarly, three training and designing centres would be opened at Sohela in Bargarh district, Saintala in Bolangir district and Bangriposi in Mayurbhanj district to enable tribal weavers upgrade their skills, the chief minister said. The State Government also decided to raise loan amount being extended to tribal population engaged in fishery-related activities from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh with an increase in subsidy from 25 per cent to 50 per cent.

The Self Help Groups could however avail themselves of the benefit. The government assistance to tribals for digging ponds was also doubled.

The TAC, which met after almost after eight months, was informed that Orissa Primary Education Programme Authority was preparing textbooks in Santali language adopting multi-lingual education programme.

In another important move, the State Government said it was contemplating conducting district cadre service examinations in one fixed date all over the State to prevent an applicant from taking the benefit of more than one district.

"This will perhaps reduce to great extent the tendency of grabbing the posts in tribal districts," an action taken report placed in TAC meet said.

Moreover, the eligibility criteria for posts could be modified by keeping "familiarity with the local tribal dialect" one of the qualifications in respect of district cadre posts in scheduled areas.

The TAC was also intimated that the state government had recommended the Centre to include Jhodia community in scheduled tribe category. The Jhodia community, which was found mainly in undivided Koraput district, had long been demanding this status.

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