Government of Odisha announced Rice for Olive Ridley Conservation scheme for the year 2013

The Government of Odisha in July 2013 announced Rice for Olive Ridley Conservation (ROrC) scheme for the year 2013 in order to help the fishermen families affected by seven-month ban on marine fishing at Odisha coastal areas.

The identification of beneficiaries under Rice for Olive Ridley Conservation (ROrC) Scheme was announced on 22 July 2013.

• The main aim of the ROrC scheme is to help the fishermen families who are affected by seven-month ban on marine fishing as an Olive Ridley turtle protection measure.
• ROrC is a livelihood supported package for poor fishermen communities to ensure them food security.
• Under the scheme, each family will be provided with 25 kg of rice at subsidised rate of Re 1 per kg every month.
• The fishermen will be provided with special eligibility cards to avail the subsidised rice. The cards will entitle them to get the rice from PDS retailers of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department each month.
• Out of the 10133 identified beneficiaries, 6255 families are from Kendrapara district. The rest of the targeted families are from Puri, Ganjam and Bhadrak districts.

Due to prohibition of fishing from 1 November to 31 May each year, the fishing communities are adversely affected with depletion of income sources.

The bulk of the affected families are from Kendrapara as the coastal district is home to the restricted sea corridors of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary. The coast of Orissa in India is the largest mass nesting site for the Olive-ridley turtle.

The Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court had passed directions in April 2004 for protection of endangered Olive Ridley turtles.

Olive ridley Turtle (scientific Name: Lepidochelys olivacea)

The Olive ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world, inhabiting warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. These turtles, along with the Kemps ridley turtle, are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.

The Olive ridley turtle population has been declining over the past few years, and the Olive ridley is also recognized as Vulnerable Species by the IUCN Red list as a conservation measure.