Blitz Bureau
BHUBANESWAR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on August 25 issued notices to the Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, and the Chief Secretary of Odisha seeking detailed responses on the plight of the residents of villages adopted by different agencies like public sector banks, MPs and MLAs in Odisha, as well as other parts of the country.
The apex rights body has sought the reply while acting on a petition filed by Human Rights Activist and Lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy who drew the attention of the NHRC about the lack of basic amenities and bare necessities in the villages adopted on record by various organs of democracy and institutions in India.
The concerned authorities have been asked by the commission to submit their replies within eight weeks of the receipt of the notice. Tripathy in his plea alleged that the villagers like the poor Scheduled Tribe residents living in Jalanga village in Bhadrak district and other villages of Odisha as well as in other parts of India, adopted under ‘Samagra Gramin Vikas Yojana’ by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), have been leading a miserable life.
“ Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor D Subbarao, had launched a financial outreach programme on December 3, 2009 in the village. The UCO Bank had adopted Jalanga village, to transform it into a model village under the ‘Samagra Gramin Vikas Yojana’. Again, Reserve Bank Governor D Subbarao heard grievances against UCO Bank during his visit to Jalanga Village in February 2013. However, there is no visible improvement in the quality of life in the adopted villages of the Reserve Bank,” Human Rights Activict Tripathy said.
