Tathya.in, May 19, 2009
Bhawanipatna:19/July/2009
People of Kalahandi are angry with Congress.
Their anger seems totally justified, feel observers.
In fact they are reminding Rahul Gandhi of his big promise that "I am your sepoy (soldier). I have had a family link with Kalahandi and it is my duty and will be my endeavour to see that the people of the area get their just due.”
The scion of Gandhi dynasty made this promise during his Discover India Trip to Kalahandi on 7 March.
It is a matter of fact since the time of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Kalahandi has been closely associated with the Gandhi Dynasty.
But Kalahandi has been always poorly treated by Congress party in the post Independence Congress regime, alleged Digambara Patra.
Dr.Patra, who is leading the intelligentsia of this backward region feel that the present UPA Government claims to bring all round development in backward and rural pockets of India but such development, is missing in Kalahandi.
Madhusmita Panda, another leading NRO reels out stats saying the Central Government has earlier established HAL, NALCO and recently a Central University in Koraput district from public funds.
An ordinance factory was also established in Balangir district. Titilagarh – Jharsuguda, Khordha – Balangir, Rayagada – Koraput and Koraput – Vishakhapatna are some of the railway lines approved in post Independence Congress regime.
Most unfortunately not a single railway line was approved in Kalahandi district during post independence congress ruling except Lanjigarh road – Junagarh railway line during non-Congress Government in 1990-91, lamented she.
Even NH201 passing through Bargarh, Balangir, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Koraput districts were approved during non-Congress Government in the Center, said it is to be noted that both the projects, Lanjigarh road – Junagarh railway line and NH201 are moving sluggishly, said Sanjib Kumar Karmee.
Dr.Karmee, who teaches in the Delft University of Technology, Netherlands said that there is a public demand for establishing a Central University in Kalahandi since 1988.
Because it is centrally located among all the KBK districts and had better rail connectivity to most of the major cities of India from Kesinga station, however the State Government decided to establish it at Koraput for political reasons.
In a memorandum to Mr.Gandhi it has requested for a branch of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University in Kalahandi with a medical college attached to it as this backward pocket lacks secondary and tertiary health facilities.
For secondary and tertiary health facilities people in Kalahandi has to depend on either Vishkhapatnam about 350 – 450 km or Burla about 250 – 350 km away from the district, said he.
Judhistir Patra from Dharamgarh is worried for much higher unemployment rate and home leaving migrant workers of the district.
Recent report by India Today suggested that both Kalahandi, and Nabarangpur are rated among the bottom five constituencies in socioeconomic/infrastructure development ladder among all constituencies in India.
Proposed Kantabanji (Balangir dist) – Jeypur (Koraput dist) line via Nuapada, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur districts and immediate approval of a high laying bridge over Hati river on NH201 near Junagarh and improving road conditions of NH201 in Kalahandi, Balangir and Nabarangpur will bring development in the region, said he.
Are you listening! “the Sepoy”.
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