Jeebika – a State initiative for the poor missed out of benefits from major development projects

Jeebika – a State initiative for the poor missed out of benefits from major development projects With a view to enhance the livelihood needs of the Orissa’s landless and marginal households that are generally left out of the benefits from watersheds projects, the Govt. of Orissa has launched the Orissa Rural Livelihood Programme titled as “Jeebika”. So far the watershed projects being run with assistance from the Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India used to have only the watershed component which had little provisions for the livelihood needs of poor people. Under Jeebika, additional ‘livelihood component’ would be provided to 460 ongoing watershed projects implemented under the Integrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP) and the Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP) in 6 districts namely Koraput, Nawarangpur, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Kandhamal and Mayurbhanj. Jeebika will be addressing the livelihood needs of the poor residing in the project villages. Preventive health care measures, sanitation, drinking water, food security, income generation activities through self help groups (SHG) and common interest groups (CIG); micro credit and savings, micro enterprise promotion, skill development, primary processing and marketing, livestock promotion, fishery, other off farm enterprises are the major activities in the purview of the Jeebika. The Orissa Watershed Development Mission (OWDM) under the Dept. of Agriculture will be the nodal agency at the State level to oversee the implementation of the programme. The project management committee (PMC) of the OWDM chaired by the Agricultural Production Commissioner will review and guide the programme implementation. The project will be implemented with a total budget Rs. 9046.96 lakhs.