The months-long communal violence in Kandhamal has grabbed the attention of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) which purposes to introduce vocational education and job placement for poor families in the district.The university, beginning this January, plans to offer vocational and training programmes for youths below Poverty Line families (BPL) in the tribal district.

“A sprawling house in the district has been hired. Five vocational training and educational programmes have been identified,” a varsity spokesman told IANS. Certificate courses in advanced computing, job training and interview etiquette, and a diploma in advanced computing are those to be introduced for the BPL
youths.

The certificate courses will be for six months, and the diploma programme will be for a year. According to the spokesman, those who successfully complete the course will be given employment in various industries in east zone.

The initiative is not just restricted to Kandhamal. Similar programmes will be implemented in other tribal districts of Orissa as well. Also in five other states – Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Pandav Naik, a former vice-chancellor of Utkal University, is said to head the project in Kandhamal. A Kolkata-based NGO will also help the project by setting
common service centres at panchayat level.

Kandhamal, last year, witnessed widespread violence after the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides. Although the murder triggered the communal tension, many have identified the social differences and economic gap between the Kandhas and Panas, the principal inhabitants of Kandhamal district, to have amplified the violence.

The reconstruction and resettlement of the affected people are currently underway with the local administration vying to complete the entire process before Christmas.

The administration has identified around 4,600 houses damaged in the August 23, 2008 violence. The state government has decided to provide Rs 50,000 each to families whose houses were damaged fully and Rs 20,000 for partially damaged dwellings.