Bhubaneswar: Odisha government Monday appointed chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of Special Development Councils (SDCs) in 23 districts, officials said.
According to a list shared by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Basistha Nayak has been appointed chairman of the SDC in Angul district, while Ballav Dharua and Bipin Marandi will head the councils in Bolangir and Balasore districts, respectively.
Prashanta Kumar Behera, Nauri Singh and Nilamadhab Patra have been appointed chairpersons of the SDCs in Deogarh, Dhenkanal and Ganjam districts, respectively.
In Boudh district, Damarudhar Kanhar has been appointed chairman.
The government, led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, has also appointed chairpersons and vice-chairpersons for SDCs in Bargarh, Gajapati, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Rayagada, Sambalpur and Sundargarh districts, officials added.
The SDCs were initially conceptualised in nine tribal-populated districts in 2017 and were later expanded to several other districts to protect and conserve tribal art, culture and heritage, they added.
PTI
