The Pioneer, July 30, 2011
PNS | BHUBANESWAR
Politicians of western Odisha themselves are creating road blocks in the way of establishment of the Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) headquarters within the limits of the council area, deplored WODC Chairman Niranjan Panda.
Panda, whose term expires on July 31, addressing his last Press conference as the chairman of the council, lamented that as per the stipulations, the State Government would establish the headquarters of the WODC in consultation with the council. But it could not be materialised due to lack of unanimity among the political leaders of the region resulting in the continuance of the headquarters at Bhubaneswar. He said that during his stint as the council's chairman he had initiated a process to bring unanimity among the leaders for selection of the headquarters' location, for which he had convened council meeting at least four times but in vein.
Stating that the WODC has enough authority and autonomy and there is no need of more autonomy for its functioning, the chairman said during his five years' tenure, he had got all support and assistance from the Government and the Chief Minister for its efficient functioning.
"At no point of time, the Government had interfered in the day-to-day affairs of the WODC," he clarified. Hailing the Government for the upward revision of the annual budget to the tune of Rs 100 crore, Panda said the Government had approved some innovative programmes to accelerate the development process in the region and help bridge the regional imbalance. The outgoing chairman informed that the WODC had formulated a three year prospective plan with a provision of Rs 300 crore. Need-based planning has been included in the perspective plan to implement various developmental programmes keeping in view the population and geographic situation of the districts, he said.
The main thrust is given on lift irrigation and rain water management, education, roads and communication and health. While Rs 114 crore has been provided for irrigation and rain water management, Rs 60 crore has been provided for the education sector. Rs 45 crore towards roads and communication network and Rs 32 crore for health services sector have also been provided. Panda announced that the council has decided to set up a modern Eye Hospital in the WODC region, a GNM School at Sundergarah, three hospitals with 50 beds each on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode at Thuamul Rampur in Kalahandi, Koida in Sundergarah and Rantipalli in Jharsuguda district. Stating that the State Government had provided Rs 683 core till 2010-11 to the WODC for removing regional imbalance, he said so far 656 lift irrigation points have been installed with an investment of Rs 50 crore, constructed 852 check dams for expansion of irrigation coverage at a cost of Rs 64 crore and 523 small irrigation projects with an investment of Rs 61 crore.
Highlighting various developmental works undertaken during his tenure, Panda said while Rs 1 crore each had been provided for establishment of Agro-Polytechnic Institutions at Debagarah and Boudh. Besides, a Horticulture Degree College has been set up at Chipilima at an investment of Rs 7 crore. Rs 23 crore has been provided for the improvement of health services in various hospitals under the WODC and Rs 56 crore for the infrastructural development of 2669 schools and Colleges, he added.
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