Letter to Railway Minister: Consider backward pockets of profit making zones especially for railway infrastructure and factories

Dear Honorable Railway Minister Sri Sadananda Gowda,

Corruption in railway could be even worst than 2G scams; it is surprising that the states that contribute maximum return to railway’s own development are underprivileged not only from railway infrastructure development but also while establishing railway coach and other ancillary factories by Ministry of Railway.

Despite ECOR being one of the most profit making zones of Indian railways, railway ministry has been unfairly treating Odisha and Chhatisgarh (another profit making zone) since decades, whereas many loss-making projects in Bihar and West Bengal were approved and completed due to influence of former railway ministers.

Additionally, major railway development and factories were approved in Rae Bareli, Amethi, Chaptra, etc. ONLY due to powerful political leaders rather than due to actual source of raw materials like coal or iron supply for railway’s own requirements, thus, states like Odisha, Chhatisgarh etc. that supply coal, iron, steel and aluminum for railway infrastructure and manufacturing unit are dispossessed. Although many projects approved in other parts of the country has moved, the work of proposed low budget Wagon Maintenance Workshop in Kalahandi and Wagon Factory in Ganjam have not yet started.

The site in Kalahandi (Narla road) is located at the junction of three public sector steel plants in Bhilai, Rourkela and Visakhapatnam. It is also close to MCL coal blocks in Angul (via Lanjigarh road-Talcher) and Jharsuguda (Titilagarh-Jharsuguda route). National alumina supplier, NALCO, is located very close to it. Therefore, this location is an ideal place and very much in the interest of railway to establish railway coach and manufacturing factory instead of Rae Bareli or Chhapra.

Most of the railway lines Khordha road –Balangir, Talcher-Bimalagarh, Lanjigarh road-Junagarh extension to Jeypore to Bhdrachalam road, Dhamtari-Jagdalpur, Raipur-Rajim-Debhog-Junagarh, Talcher-Lanjigarh road, Angul-Sukinda, Kantabanji-Jeypore, etc. are not progressing as desired due to diversion of funds to other states by powerful political leaders.

As per railway’s own estimate many of the loss making routes in Bihar and West Bengal have been approved for new railway line and have been also completed timely but it took 25 years to complete 56 km Lanjigarh road- Junagarh railway line as part of Lanjigarh road-Ambaguda line. Junagarh-Ambaguda section of this route is not even sanctioned. Progress of another important line Khordha road-Balangir is moving in snail’s space. For these projects, railway only sees the loss making, whereas Kolkata metro despite making huge loss did not count for the ministry or railway.

Both Chhatisgarh and Odisha have lower than national average of railway track per 1000 km and need special considerations.

It is good that railway has given special emphasis for development in North Eastern state and Jammu and Kashmir. KBK, Kandhamal, Kanker, Jagdalpur, Raipur, Dhamtari, etc are among the worst Maoists affected districts in India. KBK is also one of the backward pockets in the country and faces similar social and political problem that includes tribal population, hilly terrain, backwardness, etc.

Howrah-Chennai route has been congested and a route via Kharagpur, Baripada, Talcher, Lanjigarh road, Junagarh, Nabarangpur, Jeypore, Malkangiri, Bhadrachalam road and Vijaywada will not only decongest the route but also bring development to many tribal dominated districts of the nation. The proposed route also makes another possible route to connect Hyderabad directly with Ranchi and Patna (via Titlagarh-Junagarh) or Kolkata (via Baripada-Lanjigarh road-Bhadrachalam road).

I appeal that Indian railway should immediately look into the railway projects in Odisha and Chhatisgarh to accomplish in a timely manner in next five years and establish a new railway coach factory at Narla road of Odisha for the reasons mentioned above.

With best regards

Digambara Patra

CC:

Honorable Prime Minister of India, Sri Modi

Honorable Chief Minister of Odisha, Sri Patnaik

Odisha Vedanta Lanjigarh became first in the world to develop & use of Cold Setting Cement Free Green Concrete

Orissadiary, June 25, 2014

Report by Odisha Diary bureau, Lanjigarh: Vedanta Lanjigarh was in news when few months back the first Red Mud Powder Plant in the world was commissioned with use of the same  in Cement Industries and thus avoiding major environmental risks  of Alumina refineries. Now Lanjigarh Alumina refinery of Vedanta has become the first company in the world to develop Cement Free Green Concrete by using Fly Ash only. The concrete is named as Cold Setting Geo-Polymer Concrete due to its properties of fast setting in ambient conditions. Speaking on the occasion Dr Mukesh Kumar , President and COO of Lanjigarh Alumina Refinery informed that they have developed a Zero Waste Model around 3 years back and since than they are working on numbers of projects related with Waste Utilization to ensure Optimum Utilization of Natural resources. This new technology has been developed in association with CSIR laboratory IMMT, Bhubaneshwar and inhouse research.  

The Concrete is truly Green Concrete as water is required only at the time of preparing the mixture and thereafter no water curing is required  ;thus saving not only huge quantity of water but labour also as the  concrete is stabilized in less than 6 hours only. Dr Kumar further informed that most of the Cement Concrete structures start deteriorating after about 20 years but the Geo Polymer  produced using Fly Ash can be more durable . Several attempts made world over to start using Fly Ash in concrete as well as in producing Geo Polymer but the main problem till date was that  polymerization and curing was requiring temperature above 50 degree celcius and thus commercial use could not be started . Now in association with IMMT Bhubaneshwar , special activators have been developed which allows not only producing Cement Free Concrete for strength upto  M50 but also  having properties of acid resistance, alkaline resistance, less permeable and fast setting. Indian Fly Ash is the best raw material for such Green Concrete as Si-Al ratio is more than 2:1. Such materials are also used for making special cements like Alumino –Silicon Cement which is normally imported in India. 

Dr Mukesh informed that their next milestone is to prepare this material in Ready to mix form so that it becomes user friendly. At Lanjigarh Refinery, roads are already being made of Cement Free Green Concrete and now the planning is to stop use of cement in other constructionalso progressively. The use of Fly ash in Cement free Concrete will not only minimized Green House Gas Emission but will also solve the problem of Fly Ash Disposal which all the power plants in the country are facing today.

- See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/ShowBussinessNews.asp?id=51121#sthash.M8r6nnNK.dpuf

Odisha minister demands ESI medical college in Bhubaneswar

Odisha Sun Times, June 26, 2014

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
New Delhi, June 26:

Odisha Labour and Employees’ State Insurance minister Prafulla Mallick today demanded the setting up of an ESI Medical College and Hospital in Bhubaneswar and two nursing training schools at Bhawanipatna and Rourkela.

The Odisha minister placed his demands at a meeting of the Labour ministers of the states convened by Union Labour and Employment minister Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi.

Apart from discussing possible changes in some of the labour laws pertaining to the Central Labour Commission, Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation and Directorate General of Mines Safety, the ministry would also hold consultations with the state ministers in developing a national employment policy.

Mallick, who is also Odisha’s Steel & Mines minister, later met Union Steel and Mines minister Narendra Singh Tomar and urged him to allow the Odisha government to collect mineral resources rent tax.

He also reiterated the old demand of the state government to increase the mineral royalty.

Special Train for Rath Yatra from Bhawanipatna

The New Indian Express (Bhubaneswar), July 26, 2014

SAMBALPUR:  The Sambalpur Railway Division under East Coast Railway (ECoR) has decided to run a special train from Bhawanipatna to Puri via Sambalpur and Angul during Rath Yatra.

The special train will leave Bhawanipatna at 8.30 am on June 28 and arrive at Puri at 3.05 am the next day.  On the return journey, the train will leave Puri at 11.25 pm on the same day and reach Bhawanipatna at 2.30 pm on July 30.  A large number of tourists from here visit Puri during the annual festival.

Senior Clerk Held

Bijay Kumar Routray (45), a senior clerk of Nuapada Tehsil, was arrested on charges of allegedly outraging the modesty of a colleague on Wednesday.

He was remanded in judicial custody after his bail plea was rejected. According to reports, on Tuesday, Routray allegedly made sexual advances towards a woman junior clerk who reported the matter to Nuapada police. Following her complaint, police arrested the accused from his office.

IB Report: Foreign NGOs behind anti-Vedanta Protest in Lanjigarh

Sambad, June 25, 2014

Maoists regrouping in Chura, locals jittery

Reported by Sri Anshuman Patra

Dharitri, June 22, 2014

Orissapost, June 22, 2014

Heartiest Congratulation to Sri Bhupinder Singh: Kalahandi got a RS Seat quite after sometime

Bhupinder, AU chosen for RS

The Telegraph, June 22, 22014

Bhubaneswar, June 21: Former minister A.U. Singh Deo and Bhupinder Singh, the Congress leader who had switched over to the Biju Janata Dal, will be the BJD’s two candidates for the Rajya Sabha.

The elections to the two seats will be held on July 3. The vacancies were created by the resignations of Sashi Bhusan Behera and Rabi Narayan Mohapatra, who have been elected to the Assembly.

While Behera’s term ends on July 1, 2016, Mohapatra’s tenure was to expire on April 3, 2018. It could not be immediately ascertained who would fill which seat. It will be officially known when they submit their nomination papers on June 23. In the 147-member Assembly, the BJD has 117 and the party is certain to win both the seats.

Naveen’s Doon School mate, 69-year-old A.U. Singh Deo, who had held important positions in the Biju Patnaik and Naveen Patnaik governments must be a relieved person. A scion of Balangir royal family, whose son Kalikesh represents Balangir in the Lok Sabha, A.U. Singh Deo has been aiming for a Rajya Sabha berth for a long time. He had missed the berth in 2002 when the BJD had cross-voted, helping former Union minister Dillip Ray to win the seat.

Last February, Singh Deo was elected to the Upper House but before he could take oath, he was asked by Naveen to contest from his home turf — the Balangir Assembly seat. While his son won by a handsome margin, the veteran from west Odisha lost to Congress stalwart Narasingha Mishra.

There were many leaders in the party who were lobbying for the seats. Prafulla Chandra Ghadei and Kalindi Charan Behera, who were denied party tickets at the last minute, were hopeful of being accommodated. Ghadei, in fact, was on record saying that he was assured by the leader that he would be sent to the Rajya Sabha.

Former finance minister Prasanna Acharya, who is considered quite close to Naveen, had lost the Assembly elections and was expected to be rewarded.

Instead, Naveen picked up 63-year-old Bhupinder Singh, who was the leader of Opposition in the last Assembly, and switched his loyalties on the eve of the elections. Bhupinder is from Kalahandi and the ruling party has done considerably well there this time compared to the last elections.

“Had he not rewarded Singh, no leader from other parties would have ever thought of joining the BJD,” said a senior party leader.

“I am thankful to Naveen that he is sending me to the Rajya Sabha. He is the captain of the team and what he decides, it is binding on us,” said Singh.

Singh Deo said: “We will fight to protect the interest of the state and continue to raise the issue of granting the special-category status to our state. As a new government has come at the helm of affairs at the Centre, we will see how more funds can be driven towards the state. We will also focus on expeditious implementation of the long-pending Khurda-Balangir railway project.”

Only 11 of 22 NGOs FCRA-registered, no one has filed statement for 2013-14

Note: 364 core spent by foreign NGOs in 5 years, this is the real reason why many local NGOs and activists were so vocal against industries in Lanjigarh for a handsome share, imagine if this amount were spent for development of Dongria Kondh alone?

Indian Express, June 21, 2014
IB report: NGOs got nearly Rs 650 cr from overseas in five years from ‘08-’09 to ‘12-’13, show filings made to MHA

Of the 22 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and donor agencies named in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) report submitted to the government earlier this month, only 11 are registered with the Home Ministry under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), and have been submitting reports of foreign contributions received by them over the years.

However, none of these 11 bodies have so far filed their foreign contributions statements for 2013-14 to the Ministry.
The IB report, submitted to the PMO and National Security Adviser, alleged that several foreign-funded NGOs were stalling India’s economic growth by their obstructionist activism.

Until this week, only 1,205 NGOs — less than 3 per cent of the total 41,759 registered under FCRA — had submitted their statements of foreign contributions received during 2013-14. According to these statements, these 1,205 NGOs received Rs 326.84 crore in foreign donations during the year.

None of these 1,205 NGOs is among the 22 mentioned in the IB report.

A total 17,362 NGOs submitted their foreign contribution declarations for 2012-13 to the MHA. The cumulative funding received by them, as per the declarations, was Rs 10,906.39 crore. 5,795 NGOs — a third of the total of those who filed declarations — showed zero receipts from foreign sources.

Funding details of the 11 FCRA-registered NGOs mentioned in the IB’s list of 22:  

Tuticorin Multipurpose Social Service Society: Was behind the agitation against the Kudankulam nuclear power plant. Received foreign donations of Rs 10.97 crore between 2008-09 and 2012-13, Rs 5.26 crore of which came from Italy, including Rs 1.62 crore from the Terni-based Associazione per un sorriso Monica De Carlo.

Tuticorin Diocesan Association: Also involved in the anti-Kudankulam agitation. Got Rs 19.18 crore in foreign contributions in the five years from 2008-09 to 2012-13, of which Rs 3.17 crore came from Germany, Rs 3.74 crore from Italy, and Rs 4.10 crore from France. Among the biggest donors was Secure Catholique of France, whose donations added up to Rs 3.92 crore.

Gene Campaign: The IB report says Gene Campaign was behind the activism against GM crops in India. It received Rs 5.45 crore foreign funds in the five years, the bulk of which came from Italy, Germany, the UK, Netherlands and Canada. Donors also include Centre For Policy Research and M S Swaminathan Research Foundation.

Navdanya Trust: Led by Vandana Shiva; according to the IB, it is at the forefront of the anti-GM foods activism. In the four years from 2008-09 to 2011-12 Navdanya got Rs 12.78 crore from foreign sources, mainly Canada, Italy, Germany, the US, the UK, Switzerland and Sweden.

Indian Social Action Forum: One of four NGOs registered at the same address in Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi. It got foreign contributions adding up to Rs 6.87 crore between 2008-09 and 2012-13, Rs 5.06 crore of which came from Bread for the World (Germany), in 10 donations.

ActionAid: According to the IB report, ActionAid is active among the ethnic Dongria Kondhs of the Niyamgiri Hills in Orissa’s Raygada and Kalahandi districts. The NGO received Rs 364.47 crore between 2008-09 and 2012-13, Rs 331.91 crore of which came from the UK-based ActionAid International and its country offices.

East Coast Research and Development Trust: Involved in the anti-Kudankulam stir; received Rs 18.35 lakh in foreign donations between 2008-09 and 2011-12, as per its declarations filed to the MHA.
n Gandhian Unit for Integrated Development Education: Also against Kudankulam; received Rs 1.63 crore from 2008-09 to 2012-13.

Maldhari Rural Action Group (MARAG): Opposed to the Gujarat model of development, according to the IB. Got Rs 4.05 crore in foreign contributions between 2009-10 and 2011-12, from agencies in Tibet, Canada, USA, Norway and Italy.

OXFAm: While donating to some of the NGOs mentioned in the IB report, it got Rs 188.82 crore itself between 2008-09 and 2012-13, mostly from its chapters in the UK, Australia, Netherlands, Japan, Spain and Hong Kong.

Greenpeace International: Has got FCRA registration on a Chennai address; received foreign contributions of Rs 32.93 crore between 2008-09 and 2012-13. Rs 30.20 crore came from Greenpeace’s Netherlands, Germany and Belgium chapters; over Rs 29 crore came from the Netherlands alone.

October deadline for 15 city plans

Times of India, June 17, 2014
Ashok Pradhan,TNN | Jun 17, 2014, 05.26 PM IST
BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to prepare city development plans (CDPs) for 15 urban areas in the state by October this year. Real estate developers hope the planning would bring about systematic growth of the housing sector giving a boost to the real estate market. 

Sanjib Mishra, director, municipal administration, said the urban local bodies concerned had been asked to complete agreements with the private partners engaged in making the plans at the earliest and submit an inception report to the government. "The idea is to put in place the CDPs in advance so that it will be easier to put forth cases of the individual cities for any urban project of the central government," Mishra told TOI on Monday. 

The October deadline was fixed during a review meeting of preparing CDPs for these 15 towns — Bargarh, Baripada, Balangir, Balasore, Bhadrak, Brajarajnagar, Bhawanipatna, Dhenkanal, Koraput, Jeypore, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Paradeep, Rayagada and Rourkela on June 10. The government has already prepared CDPs for Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur and Puri. 

The government has selected three consultants — Ramky Enviro Engineers, NK Buildcon and SREI Infrastructure — to prepare plans for the 15 cities. They have been given time till Monday (June 16) to sign the contract. The government will start releasing funds for preparing the plans after signing of such contracts. The urban local bodies have been asked to draw up the city-level CDP committees. 

Government sources said the state government wanted to complete the CDPs at the earliest, keeping in mind the Union government's proposal of a new scheme for the urban areas under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and the announcement of 100 new cities across the country to ease burden on metros. 

Developers feel that the planning, if implemented properly, will result in systematic growth across several locations in the state. "Such a step will help the real estate market because planned growth would attract investors to new locations. The government should sincerely complete the planning at the earliest and start implementing them seriously," said Pradipta Biswasroy, president, Real Estate Developers' Association of Odisha.

Medical Council of India rejects state's demand for more medical seats

Times of India, June 11, 2014
BHUBANESWAR: Medical education in the state got a major jolt as the Medical Council of India (MCI) rejected the proposal to increase 300 MBBS seats in the state for 2014-15 academic session and barred admission to 100 seats in Sardar Rajas Medical College, Hospital and research Centre, Jaring, Kalahandi.

The state government had proposed to increase100 seats each in two state-run VSS Medical College, Burla, and MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, and 50 seats each in two private medical colleges - Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital and Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS). However, the apex body of medical education in the country is considering KIMS case.

The MCI decided to reject the seats due to inadequate infrastructure in these medical colleges. However, the final date to send the compliance report to MCI is June 15 and some cases may be reconsidered, sources said.

Director, medical education and training (DMET), Dr Sunamali Bag, said, "We have not yet received any letter from the MCI. There are several steps before the final decision is taken. We have submitted all necessary documents and fulfilled the required criteria." He further added, "MCI gives such threats but we are quite hopeful of getting clearance for all the proposed seats."

Admission to the 100 seats in Sardar Rajas Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre started last year. With MCI scrapping the 100 seats, the total number of MBBS seats in the state has reduced to 1,050.

The SCB Medical College and Hospital has 250 seats, VSS and MKCG have 150 each and Hi-Tech Group's medical colleges in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela have 100 seats each. Besides, AIIMS, KIMS and Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital have 100 seats each.

NRO Bats For Rural Varsity

Tathya.in, June 8, 2014
Bhawanipatana : 8/June/2014 
For solving rural problems and generating high quality human resource in the socially backward rural pockets, India should build “National Rural University” in the line of Central University in each rural, backward and economically poor pocket and cluster across the nation, urged Digamabara Patra, leading NRO.

 

And Kalahandi is the right place for such an initiative because it is among the ten most backward districts and among five most backward parliament constituency in the nation.

 

Kalahandi is centrally located among all the backward KBK districts and It is also the central point while including other rural and backward region in Odisha such as Boudh, Kandhamal, Bargarh and Gajpati districts, Prof. Patra, who teaches at American  Univeristy at Beruit has sent missive to Union Minister HRD for the purpose, adding Kalahandi is the central point for western bordering Odisha in air distance that is rural and backward.

 

While in the manifesto BJP has promised for Institute of Technology for Rural Development as well as para-medical college. However, this can be combined together to establish National Rural University, opined  the leading NRO.

 

Prof.Patra pointed out that for various socially challenged or weak groups, the Union Government of India has been establishing specialized Institutions/Universities for minority (such as Aligarh Muslim University), tribal (such as Indira Gandhi National Tribal University), Women, etc under central university act.

 

On the other hand institutions such as IITs, NITs, AIIMS, IIM, Central Universities, etc have been being established towards generating high quality human resource and research in the country.

 

Most of these high quality institutions are located in either state capital region or large urban area.

 

Despite India has higher percentage of rural than urban population, the number of urban students qualifying into high quality institutions such as IIT, NIT, AIIMS, IIM, IISc, Central Universities etc compared to their rural counterpart clearly shows that the urban population has an upper hand to enter these institutions.

 

Due to lack of accessibility, awareness and economic condition, large section of rural populations irrespective of communities are relatively left in void compared to their urban counterparts when it comes to access to quality education, bringing differences in economical conditions and opportunities, which finally encourages large rural migration to urban areas from rural and backward cluster of India.

 

Kalahandi is known for rural mass migration, whereas major cities in the nation are getting increasingly populated and polluted due to large rural migration, some of the report claims these rural migrations to urban area in India could be one of the highest in the world.

 

Additionally, large part of the nation is rural areas and existing methods and technology applied to solve rural problems is equally non-reliable and inefficient like found to solve urban problem, which justify the need for modern new technology, creativity and innovation to solve rural problem through Rural University.

 

Due to inadequate & poor quality of human resource generation, social imbalance is increasing in backward clusters of the nation, which is encouraging Maoists activities and other social dissidents. This is being growingly witnessed in Kalahandi and neighboring backward cluster since past decade.

 

Similarly, large part of the rural area, especially backward pockets and cluster in the nation, need quality human resource generation to boost local development by triggering growth of local economy.

 

Economists also agree investment while establishing National/Central Universities mainly goes to construction sectors, which directly boost local economy.

 

Such investment is always given to metro or large urban areas like Bhubaneswar of the country by totally ignoring rural India like Kalahandi, though quality can still be maintained while establishing such institution in rural and backward cluster, said Prof.Patra.

NRO URGES HRD MIN FOR RURAL VARSITY IN KALAHANDI

The Pioneer, June 9, 2014

For solving rural problems and generating high quality human resource in the socially backward rural areas, India should set up a “National Rural University” in the line of the Central University in each rural, backward and economically poor pocket and cluster across the nation, according to leading NRO (non-resident Odia) Prof Digamabara Patra.

And Kalahandi is a right place for such an initiative because it is among the ten most backward districts and among five most backward Parliament constituencies in the country, he has argued in a letter to Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani.Kalahandi is centrally-located among all the backward KBK districts in Odisha and it is also the central point while including other rural and backward regions in the State such as Boudh, Kandhamal, Bargarh and Gajpati districts, Prof Patra, who teaches at the American University in Beruit.

While in its manifesto the BJP has promised for Institutes of Technology for Rural Development and paramedical colleges, this can be combined together to establish National Rural Universities, he has pleaded. Prof Patra has pointed out that for various socially-challenged or weak groups, the Union Government has been establishing specialised institutions/universities for minority (such as Aligarh Muslim University), tribal (such as Indira Gandhi National Tribal University), Women, etc, under the Central University Act.

On the other hand, institutions such as IITs, NITs, AIIMS, IIM, Central Universities, etc have been being established towards generating high quality human resource and research. Most of these high quality institutions are located in either State capital regions or large urban areas. 

Despite India has a higher percentage of rural than urban population, the number of urban students qualifying into high quality institutions such as IIT, NIT, AIIMS, IIM, IISc, Central Universities compared to their rural counterpart clearly shows that the urban population has an upper hand to enter these institutions.

Due to lack of accessibility, awareness and economic condition, large sections of rural populations irrespective of communities are relatively left in void compared to their urban counterparts when it comes to access to quality education, bringing differences in economical conditions and opportunities, which finally encourages large rural migration to urban areas from rural and backward clusters of India.

Prof Patra has stated that Kalahandi is known for rural mass migration whereas major cities in the country are getting increasingly populated and polluted due to large rural migration, some of the report claims these rural migrations to urban area in India could be one of the highest in the world.

Additionally, large parts of the nation are rural areas and existing methods and technology applied to solve rural problems is equally non-reliable and inefficient like found to solve urban problem, which justify the need for modern new technology, creativity and innovation to solve rural problem through Rural University.

Due to inadequate and poor quality of human resource generation, social imbalance is increasing in backward clusters of the nation, which is encouraging Maoists activities and other social dissidents. This is being growingly witnessed in Kalahandi and neighbouring backward cluster since past decade. 

Economists also agree that investment while establishing National/Central Universities mainly goes to construction sectors, which directly boost local economy. Such investment is always given to metro or large urban areas like Bhubaneswar of the country by totally ignoring rural India like Kalahandi though quality can still be maintained while establishing such institutions in rural and backward clusters, Prof Patra has argued. 

Letter to HRD Minister: Establishing National Rural University in Kalahandi

Dear Honorable HRD Minister Ms Irani,
In the manifesto BJP has promised for Institute of Technology for Rural Development as well as para-medical college. However, this can be combined together to establish National Rural University.

For example, for various socially challenged or weak groups, the Union Government of India has been establishing specialised Institutions/Universities for minority (such as Aligarh Muslim University), tribal (such as Indira Gandhi National Tribal University), Women, etc under central university act. On the other hand institutions such as IITs, NITs, AIIMS, IIM, Central Universities, etc have been being established towards generating high quality human resource and research in the country.

Most of these high quality institutions are located in either state capital region or large urban area. Despite India has higher percentage of rural than urban population, the number of urban students qualifying into high quality institutions such as IIT, NIT, AIIMS, IIM, IISc, Central Universities etc compared to their rural counterpart clearly shows that the urban population has an upper hand to enter these institutions due to (i) easy access to these institution for reference and guidance, (ii) various available coaching centers in the urban area to train and qualify for the national entrance test, (iii) better awareness and economic condition of urban population to support their children through coaching, and last but not the least (iv) Government apathy towards rural and backward cluster while establishing such high quality institution across the nation.

Due to lack of accessibility, awareness and economic condition, large section of rural populations irrespective of communities are relatively left in void compared to their urban counterparts when it comes to access to quality education, bringing differences in economical conditions and opportunities, which finally encourages large rural migration to urban areas from rural and backward cluster of India.

Kalahandi is known for rural mass migration, whereas major cities in the nation are getting increasingly populated and polluted due to large rural migration, some of the report claims these rural migrations to urban area in India could be one of the highest in the world.

Additionally, large part of the nation is rural areas and existing methods and technology applied to solve rural problems is equally non-reliable and inefficient like found to solve urban problem, which justify the need for modern new technology, creativity and innovation to solve rural problem through Rural University.

Due to inadequate & poor quality of human resource generation, social imbalance is increasing in backward clusters of the nation, which is encouraging Maoists activities and other social dissidents. This is being growingly witnessed in Kalahandi and neighboring backward cluster since past decade.

Similarly, large part of the rural area, especially backward pockets and cluster in the nation, need quality human resource generation to boost local development by triggering growth of local economy.

Economists also agree investment while establishing National/Central Universities mainly goes to construction sectors, which directly boost local economy. Such investment is always given to metro or large urban areas like Bhubaneswar of the country by totally ignoring rural India like Kalahandi, though quality can still be maintained while establishing such institution in rural and backward cluster.

Proposal:
For solving rural problems and generating high quality human resource in the socially backward rural pockets, India should build “National Rural University” in the line of Central University in each rural, backward and economically poor pocket and cluster across the nation.


Location:
Kalahandi is right place to start for the proposed “National Rural University” or “National Institute of Rural Technology” because
o   It is among the ten most backward district and among five most backward parliament constituency in the nation
o   Kalahandi is well known for backwardness, poverty and rural population
o   It is centrally located among all the backward KBK districts
o   It is also the central point while including other rural and backward region in Odisha such as Boudh, Kandhamal, Bargarh and Gajpati districts,
o   Thus, Kalahandi is the central point for western bordering Odisha in air distance that is rural and backward.
o   The Food Security Atlas of Rural Orissa 2008 states that in 2005-06, theinfant mortality rate in Kalahandi region stood at 119 per 1,000 live births,the highest in the world; the district also has the highest malaria mortality in the region

Thank you and best regards
Digambara Patra

Cotton Farming Target Raised to Over 45,000 ha in Kalahandi

The New Indian Express (Bhubaneswar), June 6, 2014

BHAWANIPATNA: Even as the unseasonal rain in last week of May affected the standing paddy crop in many pockets of Kalahandi district, it was  helpful for the cotton cultivators for the ensuing kharif season. The rain helped the farmers prepare their crop field for cotton farming well in advance. This year, cotton farming is targeted to cover 45,850 hectares (ha) against last year’s 43,056 ha.

The subject matter specialist (cotton) Narayan Upadhyay said about 90 per cent of field preparation for cotton cultivation in the district is over. As the Met office has forecast comparatively weak monsoon this year, it will be helpful for the cotton farmers, he added.

Steps have been taken to introduce high density plantation in 80 ha on experiment basis by using specific variety of seed grown for Kalahandi area where 60,000 to 70,000 plants per ha will be cultivated against around 4,500 plants in the last year. Targeted farmers have been trained accordingly. It will help them produce 25 to 30 quintals of cotton per ha for which 10 quintals of BH-279 variety of cotton seed will be used.

Following successful experiment in last year, inter-cropping of cotton and Kandula (a local variety of pulses) with a ratio of eight rows of cotton and two rows of Kandula will be encouraged among the farmers. It will generate additional income for the farmers, he said.

In Odisha, cotton is a non-irrigated crop. But this year, cotton is targeted to grow in 13 ha in the irrigated pocket of Kusmsila village on experiment basis to extract long staple cotton, Upadhyay said. Further, there will be integrated crop management by application of balanced dose of fertilizer with organic manure, micro nutrient and weed management.

Upadhyay said the supply of cotton seed is being made by the private parties and Agriculture department will only supply 10 quintals of BH-279 seed for high density cotton farming.

Cotton cultivation in the district has been successful due to suitable soil, climatic conditions, proper transfer of technology and acceptance by the farmers.

Now Kalahandi is the lead cotton producing district of the State and has got its place in the cotton map of India. Facilities of spinning mill and oil exploration from cotton seeds will also help farmers get better price, he added.

There is a need for setting up a spinning mill in Kalahandi for processing the cotton and upgrading Konark Spinning Mill at Kesinga. The mill has only ginning facility and recently initiatives were taken to set up infrastructures under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY). Besides, in order to utilise cotton seed commercially and explore oil extraction, a separate mill should be set up, the specialist said.

Minister Concern over Procurement

The New Indian Express (Bhubaneswar), June 6, 2014

BHAWANIPATNA: After visiting Dalua (rabi) paddy procurement centres, Minister of State (Ind) for Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Sanjay Dasburma expressed his concern over delay and slow progress of procurement process in Kalahandi district which has achieved only 10 per cent of the target so far. At a review meeting held in the Collectorate on Wednesday, the Minister directed the district administration to expedite the procurement.

Dasburma told the administration to gear up the process and complete the procurement by June 15 so that farmers will not sustain loss due to bad weather condition. Steps should be taken to improve basic infrastructure of all centres, he added. During his visit, Dasburma interacted with the farmers and observed the condition of the procurement centres at Mandal, Kalampur, Dasigaon, Charbahal, Tal Jaring and Dharamgarh.

Among others, Housing and Urban Development Minister Pushpendra Singhdeo, MLAs of Kalahandi and Nuapada districts Balabhadra Majhi, Anama Naik, Dibyasankar Mishra, Basanta Panda, Secretary of Food Supply Madhusudan Padhi and Kalahandi Collector Bijayaketan Upadhaya were present in the meeting.

‘SEED PROCESSING PLANT AT BHAWANIPATNA SOON’

The Pioneer, June 4, 2014

Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Pradeep Maharathy on Tuesday said the State Government has decided to set up a certified seed processing plant at Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district to make the State self-sufficient in quality seeds.

Maharathy who reached here after making a two-day on-the-spot study of the crop damages due to untimely rains in Nuapada and Kalahandi districts told mediapersons that the seed processing plant would be set up  this year and would start functioning by next Rabi season.

Stating that the State produces only five lakh tonnes of seeds against the requirement of six lakh tonnes of seeds, Maharathy said the step would help in meeting the demand of certified seed by the farmers and stop the dependence on other States.

He said the plant would not only provide quality paddy seeds to the farmers but also meet the requirement of seeds for other crops in the State.

Stating that vegetables cultivated in river bed were worst affected in the recent rains, the Minister said the Revenue Department has been asked to assess the damages and submit a report to the Government at the earliest so as to provide farmers required packages including agriculture input subsidy.

Maharathy asserted that the farmers affected by the recent untimely rains would be provided seeds and fertilizers to undertake Kahrif crops.

Replying to another question, Maharathy said that Government would  scrap the license of OPELFED owners violating the agreement and using the stalls as hotels and other purposes.

Stating that there are 66 licensed OPELFED shops in Bhubaneswar, 12 in Cuttack and 10 in Puri town, he said that majority of the shops were being used as hotels and  mega fast food centres.

Second Agriculture University of Odisha will come in Bhawanipatna

Note: Thanks to Prof. Chitta Baral for sharing this. We are thankful to also the state Govt., local BJD leaders, former MP Bhakta Charan Das, former agriculture minister Sharad Pawar  and specially chief minister Naveen Patnaik for taking our cause. I hope later on this is made a central agriculture university that we have been aspiring for.

Sambad, June 4, 2014

Naveen Patnaik seeks Rs 3,160 cr allocation in Rail Budget

Business Standard,  June 2, 2014
Patnaik called on the Prime Minister to present Odisha's demands to the newly elected BJP led NDA government

Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremoNaveen Patnaik today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allocate Rs 3, 160 crore for his state in the Railway Budget besides reiterating his demand to keep in abeyance the controversial Polavaram irrigation project.

Patnaik accompanied by his party's Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, called on the Prime Minister to present Odisha's demands to the newly elected BJP led NDA government.

"We presented a number of demands including our long standing demand for special category status for Odisha. We have also sought revision in mineral royalty rates and demanded that the royalty rate be revised to 15 per cent (from 10 per cent presently). In addition, we have urged the Prime Minister to allow additional 0.5 million BPL (below poverty line) families beneficiaries under the Indira Gandhi National Pension Scheme to cover left out BPL persons", Patnaik told media persons after meeting Modi.

The BJD chief, however, denied talks on the possibility of his party joining the Modi led NDA coalition at the Centre.

Drawing the Prime Minister's attention to the Polavaram project in Seemandhra,Patnaik said states like Odisha, Telengana, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra were concerned about the adverse consequences of the project including submergence and flooding. Patnaik said the project would affect the vulnerable people living in Malkangiri district.

Raising the issue of lopsided development in Odisha's mineral rich regions, he said, "The rich minerals of Odisha are being exploited by a few mining entities who enjoy super normal profits and the state is not being adequately compensated for the negative externalities caused by mining. The state is losing over Rs five crore every day because of non-revision of royalty rates on minerals which were due for revision in August 2012."

Patnaik also pitched for introduction of mineral resource rent tax to ensure that windfall gains from mineral exploitation percolate to the affected locals.

Justifying Odisha's demand in Rail Budget, he said, "Till date, seven districts of Odisha have no railway network at all despite the fact that the state contributes over Rs 14,000 crore annually or about one tenth of the total revenues earned by the Indian Railways.

The previously announced rail projects like wagon factory in Ganjam district and wagon maintenance workshop in Kalahandi be implemented, he said.

For Nabakalebar, a ritual followed for centuries at the Jagannath Temple, Puir, Patnaik urged the Prime Minister to approve the additional central assistance of Rs 1397 crore sought by the state government from the Planning Commission.

Other demands made by the chief minister are inclusion of Sambalpuri/Kosali and Ho languages in the Eight Schedule of the Constitution and facilitating global flight operations from the Biju Patnaik international airport in Bhubaneswar.