Bhubaneswar: Orissa government has asked the Centre to adopt a long term plan for Kandhamal, prone to ethno-communal violence instead of seeking any quick solution, official sources said today.

Orissa's suggestion came after the high-level central team headed by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, which visited Kandhamal today, sought to know what assistance was needed in mitigating the problems there.

The Centre wants to support Orissa in building confidence among all sections of the people in Kandhamal, Pawar told reporters after the team arrived here yesterday.

Identifying backwardness in education, lack of connectivity and poor livelihood means as the cause behind the ethno-communal violence in Kandhamal, Orissa government asked the Centre to set up a campus of the National Tribal University, Amarkantak at Phulbani, the district headquarter town.

As scheduled tribes constitute 52 per cent of Kandhamal's population, it is proposed to have one Ekalavya model residential school (EMRS) in each block to cater to the needs of tribal children, a report sbubmitted to the central team by the state government said.

This apart, the state government also asked for at least six schedule caste hostels to cater the children of SCs who comprise 17 per cent of the total population in the district .

Stating that connectivity was the main obstacle for the administration proper deployment of security force, it said NH 217 which passed through Kandhamal need to be double laned.
Source : PTI