SDC Champions to Bridge Information Gap between Govt Initiatives and Tribal Communities in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has roped in SDC Champions to bride the information gap between government initiatives and tribal communities.

Handpicked from 9 Special Development Council districts and 117 blocks, as many as 936 SDC Champions have taken up the mantel to lead the charge in transforming their local areas.

The ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Class Welfare Department informed that the goal of SDC Champions is to bridge the information gap between government initiatives & tribal communities.

The SDC Champions are the crucial link connecting tribal communities with government schemes, ensuring that the communities not just aware of these initiatives but also fully benefit from them.

By equipping these young leaders with knowledge, skills and resources, the Odisha Government has decided to enhance the outreach and impact of its initiatives, it added.

Recently, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved an additional grant of Rs 175.5 crore for the SDC.

The grant will be utilized on preserving the language, art, culture and heritage of the tribal communities. The additional grant will be available in addition to the current year’s normal grant of Rs.175.5 crore.

It is worth noting that the State Government had formed the SDC in nine districts – Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati, Mayurbhanj, Rayagada, Keonjhar, Kandhamal, Sundargarh and Nabarangpur in 2017. Odisha is the only State in the country to have created SDC to protect the unique culture of tribals through various schemes, projects and programmes.