Odisha: NHRC issues notice on plight of ‘adopted villages’ residents

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has 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.

“The 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, the Governor of RBI, 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 RBI,” said Tripathy.

He further asserted that the villages adopted by the MPs, MLAs and corporates under the CSR Activities have been experiencing similar human rights issues as well.

Tripathy claimed that to date the five villages (Jalanga, Chandlpur, Pokatunga, Chhatabara, Bhedabahal of Odisha) which have been adopted by the RBI under 'Samagra Gramin Vikas Yojna' did not reveal any improvement in the villages even after fourteen years of their adoption.

He requested the commission to seek a comprehensive database on the ‘Adopted Villages’ in Odisha, other states and Union Territories of India and make a study on the development of the villagers so far as bare necessities of life and basic amenities and improvement of health, education, employment and other parameters of human life are concerned.

No comprehensive database regarding the adopted villages in India has been prepared by the Ministry of Rural Development. It is believed that more than 10,000 villages have been adopted by various Institutions, MPs and MLAs in India.

"Mere adoption of records, spending money with the nexus of corrupt persons in the name of poverty and backwardness further worsens the condition of life of the adopted villagers and weakens their belief system in the democratic set-up," Tripathy adds.

Periodic, systematic assessment and evaluation of the living conditions and quality of life with happiness index of the villagers of Adopted villagers should be given utmost importance, Tripathy said.