The Government of Odisha announced a partial lock-down on 22 March 2020 due to which several of Gram Vikas offices were closed. Subsequent to the national level lock-down, all our offices have been closed and staff members are working from home.  All Management Team members are working from home and keeping in touch with each other over telephone and email. Cluster Managers and Project Coordinators are keeping track of the welfare of field staff and are available on telephone.

Awareness generation and data collection in operational areas

Ghumsur, Indravati and Mahendragiri project locations form the traditional tribal development programme areas of Gram Vikas. Staff in those areas are coordinating with the local administration and village communities to create awareness about COVID-19 and precautions to be taken, particularly in the context of return of large numbers of migrant workers from other parts of India.

We are in the process of collecting data on the ground situation. As of 2 pm, on 30 March, staff collected data from 296 habitations in 43 Gram Panchayats with a total of 14,485 households. These are in Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal and Kalahandi districts.

There are 806 migrant workers identified in these habitations, of whom 294 (36%) are reported to have come back to their villages. The remaining 64% workers (512 persons) are reported to have remained in their workplaces.  There are six Gram Panchayats, where the migration issue has affected more than 10% of the total households in the GP.

The data that is being collected will be used to prepare a comprehensive livelihoods rehabilitation plan for the affected villages/GPs.