15 Yrs On, State Yet To Set Up Tribal Cell At Guv's Secretariat

More than 15 years after the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) proposed a full-fledged tribal welfare cell in the Governor's secretariat of states having scheduled areas, Odisha, with the third-largest tribal population, is yet to operationalise the unit.

- Hemant Kumar Rout @ Bhubaneswar

Sources said that despite repeated reminders from the Centre, including communications in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, the proposed institutional mechanism remains largely on paper. The tribal cell, envisaged as a key advisory body to assist the Governor in exercising constitutional powers, was meant to play a critical role in overseeing the administration of tribal areas, monitoring implementation of welfare measures and protecting tribal rights and culture.

Instead of setting up the cell as proposed, the state government informed in 2014 that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI), SC&ST Development department and the Tribes Advisory Council (TAC) would assist the Governor in tribal affairs.