PM non-committal on three MPs’ demand for KBK special plan

The Pioneer, Aug 7, 2010
PNS | Bhubaneswar

They waited for three days to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who finally gave then audience for five minutes on Friday. Members of Lok Sabha from the KBK region present the demands of the people of the most backward areas of the country to the Prime Minister.

Congress MPs Pradip Majhi and Bhakta Charan Das and BJD MP Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo met the Prime Minister in his office. All of them demanded an early approval of the Special Action Plan (SAP) for 2009-17 for the KBK region as submitted by the Government of Odisha. The State Government has asked for the Centre's approval of Rs 4,550 crore for the SAP to be spent over eight years. The SAP was submitted in early 2009.

The KBK region having eight districts has been listed at the bottom of the 69 most backward districts of the country by the recent study of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. So, MPs cutting across party lines came forward to press for an early approval of the SAP.

Singh Deo, MP of Balangir, in a detailed memorandum appreciated the efforts of both the State and Central Governments for paying special attention to KBK since 1995-96. As a result of the initiatives like Long Term Action Plan (LTAP) and other developmental activities, infrastructure, livelihood and other human development indicators have considerably improved. However, he pressed for approval of the SAP, which would help out the area in a big way.

Majhi, MP of Nabarangpur, also sought special irrigation facilities for the KBK region and approval of the SAP. Das, MP 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. 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.

The MPs presented a long list of demands; but sources said the Prime Minister was noncommittal over any special dispensation for KBK. Singh heard the MPs patiently and said that money flow to KBK is on. Funding to the region is flowing from the existing KBK funds and BRGF while more recently the special programme for the Maoist-affected areas is being undertaken, he said.