2009 election manifesto for Kalahandi's development

merinews.com, 7th April, 2009

A non-profitable group Kalahadia has released a manifesto for '09 general election and assembly election in Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituency that says the constituency is among the bottom five constituencies in India in socio-economic development.

“KALAHADIA” A non-profitable group consisting of intellectuals and people released its manifesto for 2009 general election and assembly election in Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituency. The manifesto says Kalahandi constituency is among the bottom five constituencies in India in socio-economic development. Kalahandi has to go a long way to meet national average standard in many social indicators and in human development index. To achieve long term sustainable growth Kalahandi needs simultaneous major developments in agriculture, infrastructure, higher education, technical education, health and industries apart from generous promises such as subsidy in rice, pulses, free power, etc by political parties during this election time.
Though these promises hold good for poor people it is short lived. It keeps people still in the same risky poverty level. Kalahandi at this moment needs intensive irrigation projects, new railway line, railway factory, a central university, state highway, new bridges and down stream industrial development. Many of these local demands and projects have not been addressed since past two decades despite promised made by Chief Minister of Orissa for a Central University and a high laying bridge over Hati River near Junagarh in past years. Manifesto highlights ten major important issues as:

1.New irrigation projects:
Extension of Upper Indravati Irrigation Project to Koksara Block, in the Ampani, Ladugaon, Behera, Gotomunda region.
Irrigating all Golamunda, Bhawanipatna and Kesinga blocks by making water shades in Tel River and by Upper Indravati Irrigation project.
New water shades irrigation projects in Nuapada, Khairar, Komna, Sinapali, Madanpur Rampur, Karlamunda, Lanjigarh, Thuamul Rampur and Narla Blocks.

2.New Railway Line:
Nuwapara road – Khariar – Sinapalli - Golamunda – Dharamgarh – Moter – Ampani – Nabarangpur – Jeypur railway line.
Kantabanji - Khariar – Dharamgarh – Ampani – Nabarangpur – Jeypur railway line as proposed for survey in 2008 railway budget.
Completion of Lanjigarh road – Jungarh railway line in one year and extending to Dharamgarh to join with the above line.
New state highways:
Bondamunda - Sindhekela – Kegaon – Brundabahal - Dharamgarh – Moter – Jaipatna – Mukhiguda – Raniguda (Koraput) state highway.
Nuapada – Patalganga – Boden – Nilgi – Sinapalli – Golamunda – Khaliakani – Brundabahal.
Extension of SH45 from Kalyansinghpur (Rayagada dist) to Jungarh via Karlapat.
Extension of SH6A from Madanpur Rampur to Ghatapada (Boudh dist).
Santipur – Lanjigarh road – Tumudiband (Kandhamal dist).
Widening and improving major roads:
Nabarangpur – Jaipatna – Mukhiguda – Thuamul Rampur – Gunupur (Kalahandi).
Umarkote – Jarigram – Gotomunda – Dharamgarh.
Junagarh – Kalampur – Mukhiguda.
Khariar – Sinapalli – Gotomunda.
Bhawanipatna – Lanjigarh – Muniguda (Rayagada dist) (alternative to via Bissam Cuttack) by PPP with Vedanta.

5. Health and hospital:
Branch of Central University of Orissa in Kalahandi including faculty of medicine and hospital.

6. Technical education:
Three Polytechnique colleges at Bhawanipatna, Nuapada and Dharamgarh

7. Higher education:
Unitary University for Government Autonomous College Bhawanipatna

8. New bridges:
High level bridge over Hati River near Junagarh.
Bridge over Tel River near Aatigaon.
Bridge over Udanti River near Kegaon.
Bridge over Hati River near Karchala.
Bridge over Tel River near Uchhala.

9. Establishing new industries:
Railway Factory: Central governmment has established a HAL factory in Koraput region and an Ordinance factory in Balangir region. However, nothing has been made in Kalahandi. A railway coach factory is required in Odisha and such a railway factory should be established in Kalahandi.
Thermal Power Plant: Many industrial houses are interested to establish thermal plant in Odisha. Angul, Jharsuguda and Dhenkanal regions are already saturated with such industries and there are environmental concerns in those regions. Kalahandi has free land, available water and railway link for such project such as around Junargah and Kesinga.
Downstream industrial park: A downstream industrial park in association with Vedanta in Kalahandi should be established.
Vedanta should also establish an aluminum smelting unit in Lanjigarh.

10. Agriculture based park in Kalahandi:
Textile park: Kalahandi is one of the major producer of good quality cotton and hence, a textile park for cotton processing should be established in Kalahandi.
Agriculture park: Dharamgarh sub-division is emerging as major rice and pulses producers in the region. An agriculture park should be established in Dharamgarh sub-division.
Wine or food processing industry: Mahul flower is often used to prepare local liquor. Since liquor brings social troubles in the local level, producing local liquor should be stopped and a food processing or wine industry should be established in Kalahandi for export market which will give employment and better price for those poor people who collect Mahul flower from the forest. Since selling in local market will not be allowed, it will not affect society negatively rather those poor tribal people who collect Mahul flower would be benefited so are the youth for employment.
Reviving sugar factory in Junagarh Block.
The group encourages politicians and political parties to use this manifesto and urge people to vote for only those candidates or political party who support local long term sustainable development and respect the manifesto fully.