Member Lok Sabha from Kalahandi demanded separate universities for Kalahandi to the Prime Minister

PM non committal on KBK
Tathya.in, New Delhi:6/August/2010

They waited for 3 days to meet the Prime Minister.

And after a long waiting, finally Dr.Man Mohan Singh met them for five minutes.

Members of Lok Sabha from KBK met Dr.Singh here on 6 August to present the demands of the people of the most backward areas of the Country.

Congress MPs, Pradip Majhi, Bhakta Charan Das and BJD MP, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo met the Prime Minister in his office.


All of them demanded for an early approval of the Special Action Plan(SAP) for KBK Region 2009-17 presented by the Government of Odisha.

The State Government has asked for the approval of Rs.4550 crore SAP to be spent over 8 years during early 2009.

Till date it has not been approved by the Centre.

KBK Region having 08 districts have been listed at the bottom of 69 most backward districts of the country by the recent study of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.

So MPs cutting across party line came forward to press for the early approval of the SAP.

Mr.Singh Deo, in a detailed memorandum appreciated the efforts of both the State and Central government for paying special attention to KBK Region since 1995-96.

As a result of the initiatives like Long Term Action Plan and other developmental activities infrastructure, livelihood and other human development indicators have considerably improved.

However he pressed for 8-year long SAP approval, which will help out the area in a big way, said Mr.Singh Deo.

Mr.Majhi, Lok Sabha MP of Nabarangpur also asked for special irrigation facilities for the KBK Region and approval of the SAP.

Mr.Das, Member Lok Sabha from Kalahandi demanded separate universities for Kalahandi as the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in the area is very low.

He also presented a memorandum to the Prime Minister, said sources.

Mr.Das listed out railway lines to be set up between Lanjigarh-Malkangiri and Khurda Road-Balangir, which need to be completed as soon as possible.

They presented a long list of demands; however, sources said that the Prime Minister was non-committal over any special dispensation for KBK.

Dr.Singh heard them patiently and said that money flow to KBK is on.

Funding to KBK Region is flowing from KBK funds, BRGF and more recently special program for Maoist affected areas are being taken up.