Summary:
Tribals constitute about 22 per cent of the state's nearly 4.5 crore population with the majority concentrated in the KBK region. In 2006-07, the UPA-I government at the Centre had introduced the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) in 20 backward districts, including the KBK region, for overall development. Congress always accorded special care and attention to tribals and took steps to protect their forest rights, land and water. BHAWANIPATNA: Back in Odisha within a fortnight, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the Centre and state government for allegedly neglecting the backward and tribal-dominated Koraput-Balangir-Kalahandi (KBK) region. "Our party had launched both the schemes for overall development of tribals in Odisha..