The Scheduled Tribe and Schedule Caste Development Department, Government of Orissa, (ST & SC Dept) is implementing OTELP. This is supported by IFAD, DFID and WFP. The programme was initiated in October 2004. The first phase of the programme was completed in 2007 and it entered the second phase. The programme was undertaken in Koraput, Kalahandi, Gajapati and Kandhmal districts of Orissa covering 19 tribal dominated blocks.

The objective of the programme was to ensure that the livelihoods and food security of the poor tribal households are sustainably improved through promoting a more efficient, equitable, self-managed and sustainable exploitation of natural resources available though off farm and non-farm enterprise development.

The programme has six components: 
•	Capacity building for community empowerment
•	Livelihoods enhancement
•	Support for policy initiatives
•	Development Initiatives Fund
•	Programme management
•	Food handling