5T Secretary’s visit to Niyamagiri ignites enthusiasm: Dangaria Kandha tribal woman Timi vows for developing her community
Dr.Badal Tah,Odishabarta
Rayagada, August 24: Remember a lanky tribal woman named Timi Pusika belonging to Primarily Vulnerable Tribal Group(PVTG) from Balapai village of Niyamagiri hills ? News of her went viral when she came to meet the Collector Rayagada Swadha Dev Singh to enquire whether she received the bribe money given to staff of Odisha PVTG Empowerment & Livelihood Improvement Project(OPELIP) operating under Dangaria Kandha Development Agency(DKDA) at Chatikana. In the absence of Singh, the then ADM Dharmananda Behera addressed her grievances and the entire Rs.32000 was returned back to Timi at her doorstep after an immediate inquiry by the local govt staff led by the ADM.
She along with a few other villagers including her family members again arrived at the collectorate. This time not with a personal complain, but with the deficits faced by the community she comes from. She also wanted to express her gratitude towards the collector and the district administration for quick redressal of her earlier complain ; but after a long wait, in the absence of the Collector Singh, she submitted her demands to the Asstt Collector Sri Narayan Mishra.
The demands included construction of a check dam at Arambapanga Gudia for irrigating the land of villagers, a pond at Hagurijhola, permanent roads from stone crusher unit to Kinjamjodi village & Birsaguda village to Hingabadi village, a temple & a community altar for earth goddess at the entry point of the village, houses for all the households of Balapai through Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana(PMAY) or Biju Pucca Ghara Yojana(BPGY) or any other shceme. The written memorandum also included repair of agriculture land bunds damaged due to recent heavy rains, provision of old age pensions to five old persons of Kinjamjodi and Balapai villages.
“It is a good sign that PVTG people, especially illiterate women like Timi want to take benefit of govt schemes. Women are getting increasingly empowered to have an interface with outside world. Tribals’s needs and demands are limited, which is easy for govt to address. After the visit of 5T Secretary V K Pandian to Niyamagiri hills, this hill tribe is highly enthused and motivated. They are slowly getting mainstreamed.
Through a comprehensive village planning, assessment of the felt needs of this community ever facing the development deficit is need of the hour. The ball now is in the court of district administration, which needs to make the development process inclusive by extending the handholding support for the coming years”, said Dharani Saraka, Women Coordinator of Odisha Adibasi Mancha & Kui Kalyan Ekta, Rayagada.
