SPV remains a non-starter

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the State Government decided last year to launch a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to oversee peripheral development in mining areas, the proposed SPV is yet to be made functional.The decision to form an SPV with the objective to ensure inclusive growth for tribal people residing in mineral-bearing areas was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on March 26, 2011. It was also decided to register the SPV under the Societies of Registration Act. But the programme has remained a non-starter.As per the recommendations of Central Empowered Committee (CEC), 50 per cent of the additional net present value (NPV) collected from mining leaseholders will be utilised for inclusive growth and development of villages and peripheral areas coming under mining areas.The SPV will be responsible for devising small development projects and livelihood and welfare programmes in the mining areas. Given the impact on environment, displacement and loss of livelihood, the Government had decided that it will be mandated with creating strategies for health as well as sanitation improvement in tribal areas besides enhancement of skill.Chief Secretary BK Patnaik reviewed the progress made on the launching of the proposed SPV at a high-level meeting here on Thursday.According to preliminary estimate, around 9 lakh households in 3,000 villages will be benefited under the scheme. Around Rs 400 crore has been augmented for the purpose.The meeting decided to prepare a work plan for ensuring better quality of living conditions for the people in these areas. A committee constituted for the purpose has identified broad areas of intervention.As a number of developmental programmes are being implemented in tribal areas with funds available to tribal sub-plan (TSP) area programme, Integrated Tribal Development Agency, grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution, Modified Area Development Approach (MADA), Dispersed Tribal Development Programmes, special plan for KBK districts and Odisha Tribal Empowerment and Livelihood Programme (OTELP), the proposed SPV will coordinate the activities of these agencies.The SPV will also plan for filling up the critical gaps in infrastructure and service delivery. The Chief Secretary has directed to take all precautions for avoiding duplicity of efforts between ongoing programmes.Bharatiya Samrudhi Investment and Consultancy Services (BASIX), a specialised consultant agency, has been engaged to conduct a field survey about requirement of the people and prepare a detailed project report (DPR) on the basis of its findings and complete the DPR in two months.