TNI Bureau: A meeting of the Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) was held at Lok Seva Bhawan under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, with 18 members of the council in attendance.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said tribal communities are not merely beneficiaries of government schemes but equal partners in the state’s development. He stressed the need to give special attention not only to their livelihood and economic progress but also to their religious and cultural sentiments.

The Chief Minister proposed introducing an honorarium for priests in tribal villages and taking focused steps for the development and protection of tribal places of worship. He said detailed discussions and studies would be undertaken before taking a final decision.

The council recommended accelerating eco-tourism initiatives in tribal areas and promoting tribal homestays. It was also suggested that Records of Rights (RoR) for Scheduled Tribe communities be prepared in both Odia and English to ensure better accessibility.

The meeting further decided that the SCSTRTI would conduct a detailed study and submit recommendations on the inclusion of more communities in the Scheduled Tribe list. Proposals received from the Governor’s office will also be examined and placed before the next TAC meeting.

It was decided that an inter-departmental committee would review Odisha-specific rules under the PESA Act and submit its recommendations to the council. The council also recommended introducing Arts and Commerce streams along with Science in Eklavya Model Residential Schools at the Class XI and XII levels.

The meeting was attended by ST & SC Development Minister Nityananda Gond, MPs Ananta Nayak and Balabhadra Majhi, members of the council and legislators, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner Anu Garg, and senior officials from key departments.