Bhubaneswar: It is said that where there is a will, there is a way and where there is a strong determination to do something, nothing is impossible. The work done by Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district administration in providing sustainable livelihood through eco-initiatives has become an example for others. While ensuring financial independence, the initiatives are promising a greener future for the environment. Under the flagship program Jeevika Mission, access to improved and sustainable livelihoods for tribal people is ensured.
For all round development of tribals, the SC & ST Development (SSD) Department through the OTDS program has implemented “Livelihood Cluster Development Programme” in all the 22 ITDAs. The aim of the program is to make livelihood interventions suitable to local conditions, available resources and capacities of the tribal communities. The objective is to increase the annual income of at least 200 families in the identified TSP blocks by 30% in the first year.
With an objective of ensuring sustainable livelihood to the scheduled tribe families through land and non-land based livelihoods measures, the district administration has helped tribals to grow with their own knowledge. Utilizing the greener forests, the district has adopted an eco friendly livelihoods plan that is giving good returns. Lac cultivation has come as a prize for the rural people who are dependent on the forests for all their requirements.
Supported by ITDA Karanjia, about a hundred tribals have started lac cultivation in the Keshdiha Panchayat of Thakurmunda Block. These tribal people belong to the three villages of Keshdiha Panchayat and are basically from the ST Kolha and Santal communities. They have been funded by the government to plant the host trees and their maintenance. While the estimated cost of the project is about Eight Lakh rupees, it will benefit 100 tribal people for livelihood. The lac society provides all required assistance and necessary support to the members of the project. While the initial planting and growing of the host trees is going on, production of brood lac will be From February 2021 onwards. The success of the project is monitored by Collector Vineet Bhardwaj himself, who takes keen interest in the development of the tribal community.
The projects’ plans for value addition and marketing include setting up of a processing unit, marketing of Brood Lac and value added botton Lac and linkage with traders in and outside of Odisha. While the project intends to produce about five thousand kilograms of lac for sale the mont of income expected is about tem lakh rupees – a win win situation for the tribals.
With this, the need for developing suitable infrastructure so as to facilitate the standard of living and augment incremental result in the livelihood is fulfilled.
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