Bhubaneswar, Jan. 2: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today visited the tribal-dominated Koraput district amid tight security.

Foolproof security arrangements were made for the chief minister’s visit as the district is badly affected by Maoist activities. Yesterday, there was a heavy exchange of fire between the security forces and the Maoists at Baipariguda. Around 2,000 armed police personnel were deployed today.

Naveen’s itinerary was restricted to two venues in view of security reasons. He attended two public meetings at Kunduli in Potangi block and Kotpad. He inaugurated a host of projects, especially schools and girls’ hotels, at the two meeting venues.

At Kunduli, Naveen inaugurated a tribal girls’ hostel and conference hall for Pungar Ekalabya Model Residential School, a 100-seated girls’ hostel for Hataguda High School in Nandapur block, school building of Aligaon Kasturba Gandhi Girls School and an upper primary school.

Similarly, he opened a girls’ school building and training centre at Kotpad, two 100-seated tribal hostels for Kotpad Girls’ School and Chandili High School. Naveen also inaugurated an upper primary school building. Koraput, which has a population of 12.79 lakh, mostly tribal people, had a literacy rate of 35.72 per cent during 2001 census. The female literacy rate was one of lowest in the state (24.26 per cent). Besides, the overall literacy rate has gone up to 49.21 per cent (male-60.32 per cent and female-38.55 per cent).

At present, there are 155 schools across the district, starting from primary to secondary level. Besides, residential education is being imparted to 37,771 students through 500 boys and girls’ hostels, said official sources.

The chief minister also distributed financial assistance of Rs 10,000 each to the women self-help groups to purchase implements designed to reduce labour at the worksite. The state government has so far distributed financial assistance to 2,436 women self-help groups in Koraput district, said an official. The groups were also given capital for carrying out micro business.

Naveen also inaugurated a farmers’ meet at Kotpad. He said his government had been attaching priority for the development of agriculture and farming community through extension of irrigation facilities and encouragement of farm mechanisation.

“Our government has launched the Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana to provide health insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh each to a farmer and his family members,” he said.