Annual Plan of Operation for Ama Jungala Yojana in Odisha

Annual Plan of Operation for Ama Jungala Yojana in  Odisha

On 3.6.15, RTI Application was submitted to the PIO, Department of Forest and Environment, Govt. of Odisha seeking  information about  details of Ama Jungle Yojana, its  plan of action, list of NGOs selected to get fund under Ama Jungle Yojana. The PIO, office of OFSDS has supplied the following information on dated 30.7.15. The detailed information is  as follows.

A.       Ama Jungala Yojana  is being is being  implemented  by Govt. of Odisha  through the  Odisha Forestry  Sector Development Society.

B.      Annual Plan of Operation in respect  of this scheme has been approved by High Level Committee at the cost  of Rs. 370.33 crore out of the funds  from the State Plan ( Rs. 13.97 crore), interest money available with  the OFSDP ( Rs. 4.00 Crore) and CAMPA ( Rs. 18.62 Crore) for tackling 1750 VSS s during 2015-16 with the following financial arrangements

       ( Rs. In Millions)

Sl.No.	Component	Source of funding			Total
		State Plan	CAMPA	Interest Money available  with OFSDP
1	Ground Survey, Demarcation and Mapping	0.00	9.45	0.00	9.45
2	Support Activities	105.82	0.00	0.00	105.82
3	Miro-plan preparation	0.00	17.50	0.00	17.50
4	Support to Capacity  Development of VSS	0.00	26.25	0.00	26.25
5	Livelihood support	17.5	0.00	0.00	17.50
6	Forest Restoration under  JFM Mode	0.00	135.00	40.00	175.00
7	Supporting activities  and Managerial Express	18.81	0.00	0.00	18.81
	Total	142.13	188.20	40.00	370.33

C.      Total Number of 119 NGOs  had applied for the project under Ama Jangala Yojana.  Out of it, only 23 NGOs have been selected for the project. These Organisations are as follows.

Sl.No	District	Name of NGO
1	Angul	NEWS ( Nature, Environment & Wildlife Society), Angul
2	Khurda	SRISTI, At-Bhaliabadi, Post-Pallahat, Dist-Khurda
3	Kondhamal	Banabasi Seva Samiti, Baliguda,  Kondhamal
4	Kondhamal	PAHAD, Kondhamal
5	Dhenkanal	ASHA, Kamakhyanagar
6	Sundaragarh	SEWAK, Rangiamunda
7	Sundargarh	S.G.U.P., Lahunipada
8	Sundargarh	YAVARD
9	Mayurbhanj	SELF, Rairangpur
10	Mayurbhanj	RDAC, Baripada
11	Mayurbahnj	Society for people’s Awareness and Rural Development Action, Baripada
12	Nabarang Pur	Gramya Vikas Sangathan, Totasahi
13	Ganjam	LIPICA, Berhampur
14	Ganjam	Global Unit for Integrated  Development Education ( GUIDE), Ganjam
15	Puri	Agency for Social Action , Kakatpur, Dist-Puri
16	Boudh	Lok Kala Bikash  Kedra  ( LKBK), Boudh
17	Bhubaneswar	IMTS, Niladri Vihar, Bhubaneswar
18	Bhubaneswar	Organisation for Development Coordination
19	Bhubaneswar	1 Concept Initiative, Pokhariput, Bhubaneswar
20	Jajpur	National Institute for  Social Welfare , Jajpur
21	Koraput	IAEET, Goutam Nagar
22	Keonjhar	PRAKALPA
23	Kendrapara	AROWA

D.      Fund has not been released fund to any NGO  till 1.6.2015.

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date-9.8.15

Why visit of President and CJI to KIIT opposed

Civil Society Groups to protest  and oppose visit of President and Chief Justice of India to KIIT-Why?

All of you are aware that the very KIIT, which was once housed in a rented single room in 1992, now boasts of 10 sprawling wifi enabled campuses in Patia area of Bhubaneswar. What is the magic behind such progress of an institution within short a span of time?  Is it outcome of selfless efforts of Sri Achyut Samant , the founder of KIIT or any marvellous game plan  designed by him?  The so-called success story of KIIT’s phenomenal growth was in fact brought to limelight by CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India). As per CAG Report, out of total 89 acres of land leased out to KIIT by IDCO, allotment of 82 acres is illegal. CAG Report has shown Sri Achyut Samant has grabbed land by adopting all manners of illegal and fraudulent means which is not expected of a person who projects himself as an eminent educationalist and founder of KIIT University. He has developed the entire infrastructure by giving bribe to corrupt bureaucrats  for encroaching the government land   time and again and manipulating the IDCO authority to regularise the same in violation of Odisha Prevention of Land Encroachment Act, 1972. 

Moreover, the CAG Audit scrutiny has revealed  that  although direct allotment of land to KIIT by IDCO was meagre ( 7. 083 acres), there were instances of undue benefit extended to KIIT in acquiring the remaining land  ( 82.087 acres) violating procedures of  land  allotment which resulted in a loss of Rs. 252.54 acres. Besides that KIIT has again occupied unauthorised 18.864 acres of land , the benchmark valuation of land being Rs. 94.32 crores. 

Let us  cite two examples extracted from CAG Report.

A.  KIIT , an infamous Institution for its land grabbing in Bhubaneswar  encroached  land measuring 16.397 acres , valued Rs.12.30 crores   and got it regularised by ICDO  in connivance of its corrupt officials in two phases  ( 9.809 acre in April 2005 and 6.588 acre in July 2009 ), though it is not permissible under any law  of the land.

B.  KIIT, a deemed  University, applied  ( April 2010 ) for additional land of 14 acres  in Chandaka IR contiguous to the land under its occupation, which  were under encroachment by some other people   and offered  to get it vacated from the said encroachers at its risk and cost, in case  the said land  would be allotted  to that institute. The Land Allotment Committee (LAC) of IDCO agreed to the same and decided (April 2010) to allot 14 acres of such encroached land to KIIT. An in-principle allotment order was issued (October 2010) to KIIT with the stipulation to formally allot the land after eviction of the encroachers. This was despite the fact that, the BoD of IDCO in 65^th meeting, inter-alia, decided (April, 2004) not to entertain any further applications of KIIT for regularisation of any encroachment in Chandaka area.

Since Mid-July 2014, the concerned citizens and Social Activists of Odisha have been holding dharana, demonstration and mass rally demanding CBI enquiry into land scam in Odisha and also submitting  memoranda to  different  authorities  like Governor and Chief Minister of Odisha ( Copy of Memorandum is   enclosed) .  Mass Media has covered series of news against   KIIT and Sri Achyut   Samant for   land acquired by him through fraudulent means. The State Govt. constituted a task Force for enquiry into irregularities and illegalities in allotment of land by different Govt. agencies in August 2014 but the illegal allotment of land   to KIIT by IDCO was kept out from the purview of inquiry.  As Sri Samant  exerts huge influence by various nefarious methods over the gullible and corrupt bureaucracy, the land allotment to him has not been enquired till date.  A Writ petition has been filed in Odisha High Court against Sri Achyut Samant and KIIT with a prayer for   CBI inquiry into land scam of Sri Samant. (Copy of the media clipping is enclosed). KIIT is also not complying with RTI Act and not disclosing any information to the Information-seekers.

Sri Achyut Samant through a  mega image building exercise is always on the lookout for inviting dignified personalities to his Institution, simply to repair and make over his controversial profile and thereby to divert attention of the people from his naked acts of corruption.   It is apprehended that Mr. Samant by inviting President of India and other dignitaries wants to whitewash his depreciated and questionable image.   

 As is well known, KIIT is a deemed university which has been substantially financed in terms of land  and funds  from different  agencies of State and Central Governments.  As such, it is a public authority under Section 2 (h) of the RTI Act, 2005. But the PIO of KIIT refused to provide the information under RTI Act time and again. Several  Complaint cases against KIIT are pending with State Information Commission for disposal.

Under the circumstances,  we have made request  Hon’ble President of India  and Chief Justice of India  to enquire into the above mentioned  crimes of fraud and   corruption  exposed by a Constitutional Body like CAG  before taking a decision as to respond  to the invitation of Mr. Achyut Samant to grace the occasion at KIIT or not. 

It is needless to mention here that  we the  Civil Society Groups  will  oppose  and  organise demonstration  and road blockade  at the time of Visit  of the Rastrapati  and Chief Justice of India.

Regards

Srinibas Mohanty                               Khirod Rout                          Prof. Jantrana Parikhit

Advocate, Odisha High Court            Advocate, Odisha High Court

Sudhir Mohanty                                  Pradip Pradhan                    Ashok Mallik

Advocate, Odisha High Court             RTI Activist                          President, NACDOR

Pratap Sahu                                       Sachikant Pradhan              Arun Jena

Social Activist                                     Social Activist                      Social Activist

Abdul Walli                                         Raju Singh                           Menaka Kinnar

Social Activist                                     Social Activist, Cuttack        Bhubaneswar

Bijay Parida                                        Ashok Das                            Sanjay Sahu

Jana Adhikar Parishad                       Samajik Nyaya Andolan       Social Activist

OHRC directs collector and CDMO on Police atrocity at Belabahali village

Direction of OHRC to Collector and CDMO, Keonjhar to make an on the spot Study of Situation of Belabahali village and send a team of health workers to provide necessary medical facilities to the villagers

On 28.7.15, a Team of Human Rights Activists and Lawyers filed complaint to Odisha Human Rights Commission seeking  immediate intervention of the Commission  to withdraw huge police force  deployed  around Belabahali  village under Anandpur Sub-division   of Keonjhar district  and direct the Chief District Medical Officer, Keonjhar to send a well-equipped health team to provide treatment to the people suffering from various diseases and wounded due to police attack.  It was reported to the Team  that  a old man suffering from paralysis  died  due to lack of treatment.

It needs to be mentioned here that  since last twenty days, the police force have been cordoning  the  whole village  inhabited by around 10,000 people  after brutal police  attack and atrocity  on the innocent  villagers  who have been   opposing  proposed diversion and expansion  of the road  and construction of new  bridge  on 215 National Highway  over Kushei river    by National Highway Authority  of India and the State  Government  on the pretext that it  would create water-logging  and flood  in the area and damage 2000 hectares of agriculture  land   leading to putting adverse  impact  on their economy. 

15-member  Civil Society Groups had visited  to  Belabahali  village  on 18.7.15  to ascertain the fact  about the incident  and magnitude of police atrocity  and reason  of it. The Team noticed  the pathetic  situation of the  villagers  and  their helplessness  in the  village.  Having been frightened  and to evade arrest, the villagers could not go to agriculture field for cultivation. The children could not go to the school.  The students could not go to apply form for admission and entrance test for job. The people who have suffered injury are not allowed for treatment.  

After returning from the villager, the team along with other activists had organised protest Dharana in front of  the office of Director General  of  police  and submitted memorandum demanding  withdrawal of police from the village and false cases filed  against the villagers. 

Finding no action from the Director General of Police,  the Team personally met  Acting  Chairman, Odisha Human Rights Commission  and  sought commission’s immediate intervention  in order to provide justice to the  villagers.  The Commission taking into consideration the plea of  Human Rights Activists  issued  order  to  the  Collector and CDMO, Keonjhar district   to make an on the spot Study of Situation of Belabahali village and send a team of health workers to provide necessary medical facilities to the villagers within 3 weeks  and fixed  the date  24.8.15  for further orders.

The Team members  who met  OHRC  were Sri Pradip Pradhan, Pratap sahu, Sri Sudhir Mohanty, advocate, Odisha High Court,  Sachikant Pradhan, Sri Debashis Hota, Trade Uion Leader, Sanjay sahu, Jayant Das, RTI Activist, Menaka Kinnar etc.

Pradip Pradhan, M-9937843482

Date- 31.07.2015