Odisha Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups Empowerment and Livelihoods Improvement Programme

The overall goal of the programme is to achieve better living conditions and to reduce poverty for the most vulnerable in Odisha's heavily forested Eastern Ghats and Northern Plateau regions.

Tribal populations living in the target area derive their livelihood from shifting cultivation, rainfed agriculture and from gathering non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Farming practices are basic, and mostly include growing rainfed rice and millet. Many tribal people are landless.

The programme objectives are to:

• Build the capacity of target households
• Secure entitlements to land and forest
• Improve agricultural practices
• Promote income-generating microenterprises
• Ensure access to services such as education and health
• Improve community infrastructure

Poverty is particularly severe among tribal populations in India. Numbering over 104 million, and more than 8 per cent of India's population, tribal people are traditionally concentrated in forests, hills and other remote and inaccessible rural areas. They have reduced access to basic services and few opportunities for economic development.

The programme aims to improve the livelihoods and food and nutrition security for over 62,000 households.