APL victims to get cheap rice

PTI | 07:10 PM,Oct 25,2010
Phulbani (Orissa), Oct 25 (PTI) Orissa government has extended its cheap rice scheme today to cover all victims of the ethno-communal riots in Kandhamal, including above poverty line (APL) families. "About 23,000 APL riot-hit families will be benefitted.All the riot victims will be provided with 25 kg of rice every month at the rate of Rs 2," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said at a public meeting at Shankarakhol, about 25 km from here. Though all the people, including APL families, in poverty stricken KBK (Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput) region were earlier covered under the scheme, it was for the first time extended to include such families hit by 2008 ethno-communal riots in Kandhamal where at least 38 persons were killed.

Assuring all help to the riot-hit families, Patnaik said his government was "very particular" about rehabilitation of riot victims. Biju Kandhamal Yojana, a special package, would be implemented to help people in the district. "I appeal to all the people in Kandhamal to maintain peace, harmony and fraternity to ensure better development of the district," he said after inaugurating a district-level exhibition and an extension building of a college at Shankarakhol.

Referring to the state government's efforts to resolve the long-standing land dispute issues in Kandhamal, Patnaik said 40 new revenue inspector offices, 10 new tehsil offices and an additional sub-collector office had been set up at G Udaygiri to address the problem. "My government is working for the uplift of scheduled tribes and scheduled castes. Housing programme like 'Mo Kudia' (my hut) for the poor and 'Mission Shakti' for women empowerment have been successful in Kandhamal," he claimed. The state government has identified horticulture and tourism as potential development scopes for Kandhamal. "Both the sectors are getting the priority from the state government," Patnaik said. During his day-long Kandhamal tour, Patnaik laid the foundation stone for a driving training institute at G Udaygiri, a horticulture training institute at Kalinga, inaugurated the sub-collector's office at G Udaygiri, regional information office at Gumagada and tehsildar's office at Phiringia. He is scheduled to review the law and order situation in Kandhamal before returning to Bhubaneswar.