Tribal Special Development Councils non-functional in Odisha, say vice-chairpersons
Vice-chairpersons of Odisha's Special Development Councils report that their offices are non-functional due to a lack of administrative staff, vehicles, and clear operational guidelines. They have requested the state government to provide the necessary resources to support tribal welfare programs.
Why it matters
The inability of these councils to function hinders the delivery of welfare services to tribal communities, which are a significant demographic in the region.
Six months into their appointment, vice-chairpersons of 23 Special Development Councils (SDCs) — constituted to strengthen grassroots governance and oversee the implementation of welfare programmes in Odisha’s tribal areas — have said they are unable to function smoothly due to administrative constraints.
The vice-chairpersons wrote a joint memorandum to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, stating, “The powers relating to administrative, executive and financial matters, along with operational guidelines, may kindly be issued at the earliest to facilitate the smooth administrative and financial functioning of the offices.”
They also drew attention to the lack of basic office staff, including an executive assistant, computer operator, office assistant, accountant and attendant, saying these were essential to make the offices functional.
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