Adivasi Bazar for Dangaria Kondhs opened in Odisha’s Rayagada

Reported by Ranjan Rath
Rayagada, May 2:

The long-cherished dream of the Dangaria Kondh tribals was fulfilled with the inauguration of a temporary Adivasi Bazar (market) at Chatikana village of Bisamkatak block in Odisha’s Rayagada district on Friday.

The Adivasi Bazar was inaugurated by Rayagada collector Jagannath Mohanty.

“The weekly Bazar would be opened only on Friday exclusively for the Dangaria Kondh tribals who would sell their produce. I hope they would get the actual price of their produce”, the collector said.

He said the Bazar would be jointly managed by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Gunupur and the Regulated Market Committee (RMC) under the direct supervision of the Dangaria Kondh Development Agency (DKDA) on experimental basis.

“The district administration has planned to set up a permanent Bazar and invite traders and businessmen from and outside the state if this temporary Bazar runs successfully”, the collector added.

Among others, Bisamkatak MLA Jagannath Saraka, Gunupur sub collector Basant Kumar Sahu and special officer, DKDA, Jagannath Soren were present.

On the opening day, more than 150 Dangaria Kondhs from Kurli, Khambesu, Dangajodi, Khajuri, Patalamba and Arshabadi panchayats in the remote area of Niyamgiri had brought their produce like banana, jack fruit, tamarind, ginger, turmeric and brooms while there was a rush of traders to the Bazar to purchase the produce.

Welcoming the decision of the district administration, Sindhe Wadeka, a Dangaria Kondh of Khajuri village said he hopes to get the actual price of his produce which he was not getting while selling to the traders and in his village earlier.

“The Dangaria Kondhs will be benefited more by this Bazar if the state government provides financial assistance to them before the cultivation of their produce and identifies the vegetable vendors outside the Niyamgiri area and stop their entry into Niyamgiri,” said Laxman Sikaka of Kurli village.