Rayagada BSP Urges District MLAs to Unify Over Tribal Livelihoods Ahead of Assembly Winter Session
Dr. Badal Tah,Odishabarta
RAYAGADA, November 7: Ahead of the Odisha Legislative Assembly’s upcoming Winter Session, the Rayagada District Unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has made an urgent, cross-party appeal to all three district MLAs. The party urged the legislators to transcend political divides and jointly confront the state government regarding the deepening livelihood crisis among Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
The party emphasized that the first phase of the Odisha PVTG Empowerment and Livelihoods Improvement Programme (OPELIP) ended in 2024. Despite state approval for Phase-II (OPELIP 2.0), ground implementation remains stalled. The delay has severely impacted thousands of indigenous households reliant on the program for community development, self-help group initiatives, and sustainable income generation.
The BSP also criticized procedural bottlenecks and administrative restrictions active within key micro-project agencies, including:Dongria Kondh Development Agency (DKDA), Chatikona, Dongria Kondh Development Agency (DKDA), Parasali, Lanjia Saura Development Agency (LSDA), Putasing, Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) of Rayagada District. According to the leadership, these operational barriers have crippled rural welfare delivery, fueling widespread distress among the Dongria Kondh and Lanjia Saura communities.
To address the impasse, the BSP appealed to the three MLAs to take immediate, coordinated action during the legislative session:
1. Floor Intervention: Move a Calling Attention Motion or Special Mention to demand immediate state action.
2. Executive Engagement: Meet jointly with the Chief Minister and the Minister for ST & SC Development to expedite the rollout of OPELIP-II.
3. Lift Restrictions: Press for the removal of arbitrary operational curbs across DKDA and LSDA jurisdictions to restore uninterrupted welfare access.
4. Budget Transparency: Demand a concrete implementation roadmap and fund disbursement schedule for all micro-project agencies across Rayagada.
Stressing that tribal rights and basic welfare must supersede partisan politics, the BSP called on the district’s representatives to present a unified front and advocate decisively for the indigenous population.
