‘Mindless splurge’: Odisha govt.’s decision to seek external loan for PVTG development faces scrutiny

‘Mindless splurge’: Odisha govt.’s decision to seek external loan for PVTG development faces scrutiny

Sub: Schemes

Sec: Marginalised

Context:

• Odisha government plans to secure a loan of ₹734.86 crore from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to implement Phase II of the Odisha Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) Empowerment and Livelihood Improvement Programme (OPELIP-II).
• The total project cost is estimated at ₹2,422 crore, including the IFAD loan component.

Concerns raised by Experts:

• Experts have questioned the need for an international loan when the Central Government’s Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) has already been launched with a ₹24,104-crore allocation for 2023-24 to 2025-26.
• Odisha, home to 13 of India’s 75 PVTGs, is expected to receive significant funding from PM-JANMAN, which covers multiple welfare aspects like housing, water supply, roads, electricity, healthcare, and education for PVTGs.
• Concerns have also been raised about the outputs and outcomes of OPELIP-I, which was implemented with assistance from IFAD. The project ended on March 31, 2024, but the closure report is yet to be submitted.

About OPELIP:

• The Odisha PVTG Empowerment & Livelihoods Improvement Programme is an initiative by the Odisha government aimed at the social and economic development of the state’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
• Its goals include: Improving the living conditions of the target households, reducing poverty, improving food and nutrition security, and enabling improved livelihoods.

PVTGs in Odisha:

• Odisha is home to 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), the highest number of any state or union territory in India.
• This includes Birhor, Bondo, Chuktia Bhunjia, Didayi, Dongria Khond, Hill Kharia, Juang, Kutia Khond, Lanjia Saora, Lodha, Mankidia, Paudi Bhuyan, Saora.
• The Government of India identifies PVTGs based on the following criteria: Low literacy, pre-agricultural level of technology, Economic vulnerability, and Declining or stagnant population.