Kalahandia

Sugarcane Farmers Threatened in Kalahandi

2012-01-29T01:20:00.000+05:30

Shared by Sri Ingit Kumar Panda
Samaja, Jan 28, 2012

"Polio related Handicap Camp" by The Lakshya Bhartee Foundation, Delhi & Narayan Sewa Sansthan, Udaipur

2012-01-26T12:51:00.002+05:30

Shared by Sri Kamal Kumar

The Lakshya Bhartee Foundation (Regd), Delhi organized a “Polio Related Handicap Camp” in association with Narayan Sewa Sansthan, Udaipur on 8^th January 2012 at Junagarh in Kalahandi District of Odisha. This is for the first time that Narayan Sewa Sansthan participated in such a camp at the most backward region of India.

More than 400 polio patients were examined for free. Patients were given free Tri-cycles, wheel-chairs, Crutches and Calipers. 125 Patients were identified for further rectification surgery at Udaipur. The LBF will bear their travel, lodging, Boarding and Surgery costs at Udaipur.

According to Mr Kamal Kumar, Secretary, The LBF, “It was part of our efforts to reach to the poorest of the poor in the society”.

The Camp was supported by Vedanta Aluminium and Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd. From Vedanta, a team led by their HR Head, Dr Kundu was present. Mr G K Nanda from CSR Division represented MCL.

Agrawal Samaj, Junagarh actively supported the cause and its volunteers served the patients whole-heartedly.

The team of Narayan Sewa Sansthan was led by Dr Pankaj Kumar. Narayan Sewa Sansthan is overwhelmed by the response and it promises to come back in the near future.

Odisha: Irregularity in Integrated Action Plan in Kalahandi district

2012-01-24T18:46:00.000+05:30

Shared by Sri Sitikantha Behera

Orissadiary, Jan 21, 2012

Report by Debadatta Panda; Kalahandi: The central govt. is sanctioning huge amount for the development of the integrated areas of the backward districts like Kalahandi but due to want of the dedication of the concern staff the said funds are not utilised properly.Hence the plan and programmes are not fruitful and So that the people unable to get benifit from it.
Whether it is to build up road or bridge or any building negligence and misapropriation took places.The schemes are utilised by the line department like forest dept. In Kalahandi the South forest division is also implementing the said IAP activity and in that programme the project namely Sankarpala to Gobargola road with bridge under Budhidara G.P.of Junagarh block is undertaken at the estimated cost of 7lakh 35 thousand rupees was started since march20th and it is reflected in the display board that the work is already completed by 30t may and accordingly the documentation is also made in the office.
But as Gobargola is a picnic spot and so many people are demanding on that road so the people of that locality came to know that only 700 meters road is repaired only but no other work is done by the forest staff. As the locality is purely tribal dominated area so that the forest staff who was in charge of that work tried to misappropriate the rest of the fund. The people of that area demanded a free and fair enquiry about it and meet the DFO and the Dfo has given assurance to enquired about it and the work will must be done.

Railway development in most backward, tribal and naxallite affected pocket in the nation

2012-01-19T19:55:00.000+05:30

Orissadiary, Jan 17, 2012

To
Honorable Railway Minister Sri Trivedi,
CC
Honorable President of India, Smt Patil
Hornorable Prime Minister of India, Dr Singh
Honroable Chief Minister of Odisha, Mr. Patnaik
Railway Board of India

Dear Honorable Sri Trivedi,
In the parliament discussion on Mrach 3, 2011, honorable former railway minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee has kindly announced to establish a Wagon Factory in Kalahandi if land is provided, which is evident from video recorded in the parliament.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VFvAlYVNac

In the railway budget 2010-11 hornoable railway minister Smt Banerjee in Feb 2010 had proposed one of the railway Wagon Factories in Bhubaneswar or Kalahandi. Kalahandi has plenty of Govt. and private land available near to the railway tracks. More than 100 to 500 acres of land near Narla road railway station in Kalahandi is available and is directly connected to Bhilai, Rourkela and Vishakhapatnam steel plants, where SAIL are established. I request you to immediately establish the Railway Wagon factory in Kalahandi.

Survey for Rajim - Debhog - Dharamgarh – Junagarh – Lanigarh road – Berhampur - Gopalpur railway lines should be given importance for the infrastructure development in this maoist and backward region. This line will make direct connection between Bhilai and Gopalpur via Raipur, Debhog, Lanjigarh road and Berhampur. The line will not only make direct connection between Berhampur and Raipur but also help in connecting Kalahandi and Debhog region with Raipur as well as Berhampur.

Survey for Damanjodi to Kesinga via Kashipur and Bhawanipatna is important because NALCO, Utkal Alumina and L&T are planning their aluminium plants in Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Sundergarh regions but their major mining interests are located around Kashipur, Thuamul Rampur, Dasmantpur and Damanjodi. A railway line connecting Damanjodi-Dasmantpur-Kashipur-Karlapat-Bhawanipatna-Kesinga will be of their interest to link their refineries and smelters cum Aluminium Parks in a shortest possible way. This will also bring Dasmantpur, Karlapat, Kashipur, Thuamul Rampur etc which are rich in minerals, one of the highest bauxites deposits in Asia, and known for their tourist opportunities to the railway map by creating infrastructure development in the backward pockets and making a win-win business opportunities for the Government, local people and mining companies, thus, such possibilities in KBKK region should be given high priority.

Kantabanji – Jeypore railway line is under survey and this line will connect Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Koraput districts and connect Khariar, Dharamagrh, Junagarh, Ampani, Nabarangpur and Koraput region directly with Raipur, Bhilai and Nagpur. The project is moving slow and construction of the line should immediately start.

It is also important to speed up the progress of under survey Lanjigarh road - Phulbani – Talcher line connecting Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Titilagarh (Balangir dist), Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts with Bhubaneswar by joining with Khurda-Balangir line near Puruna Cuttack (or Charichok). This will not only bring first time railway network to Kandhamal district but also make accessible to large part of inaccessible KBK and Kandhamal region from the state capital directly and help in countering maoist activities in the region. Beside that this line will facilitate alumina/coal transportation for NALCO from its refinery in Damajodi to its Smelter in Angul by reducing distance about 100 km.

KBK-Kandhamal is one of the most backward, tribal and naxallite affected pocket in the nation and above railway infrastructure and industrial development is key to its social and economic development. Therefore, Wagon Factory in the region and other railway requirement should be given highest priority. This is for your necessary and immediate action.
Thank you and best regards

Digambara Patra

Curtains down on Ghumura

2012-01-19T19:53:00.002+05:30

IBNlive, Jan 19, 2012

BHAWANIPATNA: The four days of cultural extravaganza _ Kalahandi Utchav-Ghumura _ concluded here on Tuesday. During the festival, artistes from the State and outside performed folk dances like Ghumura, Madal, Banabadi, Dandari, Singh baja, Dhap, Bhangra, Sidhidhamal and Bihu.

A variety of games were also organised which attracted sports lovers from across the district. Traditional sports like kabbadi and kho-kho besides badminton and volleyball tournaments at the KBK level were organised.

Self-help groups, artisans and weavers, who had set up stalls in the exhibition, did brisk business.

Attending the valedictory function were District Judge of Kalahandi Ashok Kumar Acharya and Chief Conservator of Forests M Satyanarayana. On the day, a Souvenir of Kalahandi Utchav - Kalajharan - was released and eminent persons were felicitated for their contribution to different fields.

Keeping in mind the election code of conduct, political leaders and those affiliated to parties were not invited and the festival was a low-key affair.

The business in the festival was a bit affected with hundreds of small traders, who were allowed to trade inside the Lal Bahadur stadium, the venue, did not pay any rent.

Tribal Painting Seminar Ghumura-2012 at Dharamgarh

2012-01-18T13:24:00.001+05:30

Contributed by Sri Ingit Panda

Good job by Kalahandi MP Sri B C Das: Ms Mamata Banerjee's declaration that Wagon factory should be established in Kalahandi

2012-01-16T21:25:00.001+05:30

Note: March 3, 2011 (parliament discussion)
Kalahandi MP Sri Bhakta Charan Das fought in the parliament and Ms Mamanta Banerjee declared that Wagon Factory should be established in Kalahandi

Attracting attention towards establish an IIT in KBK by Kalahandi MP, Sri Bhakta Charan Das

2012-01-16T21:12:00.000+05:30

RTI Act shows the way to access justice

2012-01-16T20:45:00.001+05:30

Note: Personally I like such initiative, corruption is the real cause of problem in the nation. Empower the neglected, they will solve the problem themselves. RTI Act could be a great weapon to minimize, if not completely erased, corruption in public sectors. Such initiative by Antodaya is appreciable.

By Sri Dillip Kumar Das
Chairman ANTODAYA

The tribals and other marginalised section of the community in rural and inaccessible areas of Kalahandi district are the victims of government apathy as neither they raise their voices against the colonial attitude of the BABUs and the red tapeism prevails in the system, nor have the capacity to bribe the officials to access the benefits meant for them. Starting from the road communication to the villages and schools in the villages, from the PDS distribution to the wage payment under MGNREGA, from the drinking water facilities to the health facilities for the villages, from the electricity connection to the Anganwadi services, and from social security entitlements to the demarcation of land given as lease to landless, people in the rural area always live at the mercy of the SARKARI BABUS (government officials) who feel themselves as the masters of the poor. In seldom cases the poor people get their entitlements without oiling the hands of the officials who are the Public Servants in the democracy.

But, these days some youths in remote parts of Kalahandi are using the provisions of Right to information Act -2005 to assert their entitlements.

For example: Jagannath Singh, Sanatan Majhi & Kana Majhi of Melghara village, Mardaraj Singh of Dalguma village, Sarat Nayak & Bidyadhar Patra of Karlapat village in Karlapat GP of Thuamul Rampur block got selected under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) by the horticulture department to take up Vermin Compost tank with a subsidized support of government in the year 2010. The poor farmers constructed the Vermin-compost tanks and requested the horticulture department officials to release their money. But the officials at the office of the Horticulturist, Bhawanipatna delayed the matter knowingly till March 2011 without stating any reason thereof. The farmers visited the office of Horticulturist several times, but failed to get any result for this issue. Finally they applied for the information regarding delay in processing the file under Right to Information Act and within two weeks of their RTI application the money got released by the officials.

Likewise, inhabitants from number of villages in Nakrundi, Kerpai, Gunupur and Karlapat gram Panchayats were enlisted for solar power lighting system under Remote Village Electrification programme of RGGVY in the year 2009. With much persuasion the department people and Orissa Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) officials came to the villages during September 2010 for survey and formation of committees. After getting all those works done OREDA officials sent the materials to the villages during October 2010, but never turned up till end of November for installation of the lighting systems. In this situation the RTI Practioners of the area motivated the village people to file RTI application seeking information regarding the delay in installing the light system. Rabinarayan Singh of Karadapadar village and Natha Majhi of Sapmundi village in Karlapat GP filed the RTI application during month end of November 2010 regarding delay in the work. To every body’s surprise within 10 days from filling the application the technicians arrived at the villages and installed the lights and requested the villagers not to file any more RTI application on this matter.

Another case of RTI Act, is of 43 old age people in Kendupati and Nandol gram panchayats under Junagarh block is no different from the others, where the older citizens who are eligible for old age pension and widow pension were at the mercy of the block officials to get their applications cleared for release of their pension for months together. Jagabandhu Budhia, a RTI practioner from Kendupati village filed the RTI application seeking information regarding the status of these applications for Old Age Pension and Widow Pension. When the block officials of Junagarh received the RTI application of Jagabandhu Budhia hurriedly cleared all the applications.

Dronacharya Jani, a tribal young man from Kandh BrahmniGuda village under Kendupati GP of Junagarh block was deprived of his stipend money parking at the Jayadurga High School, Nandol since 2005, despite of his repeated application to the school management for last 5 years even after he left the school. But Dronacharya didn’t lose the hope in the system and after being trained on RTI by ANTODAYA in 2011, he filed the RTI application at the school seeking information about the reason behind denial of his entitlement. When the Head Master got the RTI application, he immediately rushed to Dronacharya and paid the stipend money, which was pending since 2005.

These stories above are some of the successes gained by the marginalised people using Right to Information Act for their rights, encouraged and facilitated by 6 (six) RTI clinic and Land rights resource centres established by ANTODAYA in remote parts of Thuamul Rampur and Junagarh blocks of Kalahandi. There are more such success stories of these marginalized people who got their entitlements through RTI Acts. It is important to note that marginalized people can ascertain their rights if they get the proper facilitation and hand holding support from people concerned about the empowerment of marginalised and affliction of the afflicted.

Here we wish all the People of Kalahandi on the occasion of 16^th Kalahandi Utsav “GHUMURA-2012” and appeal all of them to use Right to Information to bring transparency in the governance system and see a better Kalahandi.

Jai Hind

Food Security Bill of India 2011: A review

2012-01-16T20:40:00.001+05:30

By Sri Pradip Pradhan

Image of Kalahandi Utsav; Ghumura 2012

2012-01-16T20:30:00.000+05:30

Contributed by Sri Ingit Panda

Art exhibition during Pranam Kalahandi

artist perform bhangda,

Ghumar,siddhi dhamal,and prince dance group

Ghumura Utsav begins on a high note

2012-01-16T13:04:00.002+05:30

IBNlive, Jan 16, 2012

BHAWANIPATNA: With the echo of Ghumura, Ghanta and Badya, the Kalahandi Utsav Ghumura 2012 was inaugurated by DIG Koraput Soumendra Priyadarsi at the Lal Bahadur stadium on Saturday.

Prior to the inauguration, a colourful rally was taken out from Manikeswari temple to the venue which saw participation from 27 folk dance troupes. Artistes from various parts of the State and outside showcased art forms like Singha Vadya, Ghumura, Paika Akhada, Bhangra and Sahi Jatra.

Dancers of Siddi community of Gujarat also performed Siddi Dhamal Dance, popularly known as Dhamal dance. The ‘mashal’ from the temple was brought in the procession to the venue.

Ghumura dance competition was also organised on the occasion.

Exhibitions on various products of SHGs and rural artisans have been put up.

Among others, BSF DIG S K Barua, Kalahandi Collector Dukhishayam Satpathi, SP Sudha Singh and Sub-Collector Dharamgarh Gouri Parasar were present during the inaugural ceremony.

Inauguration of Kalahandi Utsav Ghumura - 2012 at Bhawanipatna and Dharamgarh

2012-01-16T12:12:00.001+05:30

Contributed in Sri Ingit Panda
Samaja, Jan 16, 2012

TOKIMARA FESTIVAL OF THUAMULRAMPUR,KALAHANDI

2012-01-15T23:06:00.000+05:30

By Sri Satyanarayan Mundchhina

Tokimara parab(TOKI means virgin unmarried girl and MARA means sacrifice) is one of the most important religious ceremonies of the Kandha paraja.in the past they used to sacrifice their virgin daughters before the earth Goddess.The Kandh tribe ofsouth east India were practicing MERIAH or human sacrifice to appease their earth mother Goddess.Even the kandha priest were sacrificing their eldest son to earth mother Goddess for the shake of their community to get good harvest,good rain,to save their man and domestic animals from the attack of wild animals and to save their community from cholera and small-pox etc.
The tradition of meriah sacrifice was patronized by the Raja and Zamindar of Thuamulrampur mahulpatna (present Jaipatna)and karlapat in kalahandi estate
it is interesting to observe how the aura of a village comes for celebrating the festival,Tokiparab.This festival falls on the preceding or the following Sunday of the pongal or makar sankranti on the bright fortnight of Pausa (January).The festival is observed for seven days with pomp and ceremony.The festival begins on Wednesday;four days prior to the fatal day of the sacrifice of the toki.the distribution of rituals over the seven days as follows:(1).Preparation and collection of leaf and wood(2)Gurupuja(3)Toki pargha(4)sadar puja(5)Toki mara (6) Dhangridola (7)Tangiulen.
On the first day,all the men and women of the Toki village go to the nearest forest for collecting leaves and fire wood.on this day the the priest worship the Dharamdevata i.e Sun god.The second day of the festival is known as GURUPUJA.on this day he priest and the shaman alongwith other people of the village go to the nearby hill.The name of the hill is Gurudangar,where the Budharaja the universal God is seated.It is believed that all the hills and mountains are the Gudi,The worship place of God and Goddess.
After worshipping Gurubudha they come to the seat of Dharnimata earth mother goddess.In a large sacrificial axe called TANGI in local language the jani mounts the spirit Dharnimata and brings the axe to the village.This ritual is known as Tangi utara literally meaning the bringinging down of axe from the seat of Goddess.it is the symbol f Goddess’s spirit animated on it.
The third day of festival is known as Toki pargha-worship ritual of Toki.On this day toki is bathed with turmeric water by the women of every house.A procession of jani and other people starts moving around the village with music and dance.the toki is moved from door to door to get worshipped y the villagers.The community treats the toki as the actually daughter of the jani.In the evening the community eats,drinks and dances with their local dom-music and make merriment
On the fourthday the jani and dishari of all the villages assemble in the toki village with their respective village goddess.They are treated as the representatives of their respective villages.on this day the community cleans the road and the houses of the village.
Fifth day is known as Tokimara day.The toki is offered to the earth goddess on this day.Villagers from all sides come to Toki village in a procession with their traditional music and warfare dance.In the procession each one has a wodden club,hand axe and big stick on their hand .They come with their symbolic village goddess animated in a long bamboo stick designed with red clothes and peacock feathers,and also in a big nishan(a local drum)from every village such procession come to attend the festival.
he sixth day of the festival is known as DHANGRIDOLA.on this the young unmarried kandha-araja boys and girls have the freedom to choose their life mates with a socioreligious recognition in the festival ground.on this day the parents of the boys and girls have nothing to protest against their love marriage,as the whole community give sanction to them.The youth ,on this day wearing beads around his neck ,is expected to pull the hand of their beloved young girls.this system is popularly known as Malichaga,literally means wearing of beads.it Symolizes the snatching of a girl by the boy.
This is the day giving opportunity to the youth to extend love and friendship with the opposite sex.The unknown boys and girls make permanent friendship ritually by addressing each other as aligaja and sari.baligaja is a type of yellow grass taking which one may be “sari” or a”baligaja” by tucking it on the right ear of the other.on this day any groups of girls and boys with the local music ,dance and song on the group.one group sing the love song competing to defeat the other .at this time a choir of singer with their Dungdunga and DHAP sing the song describing God and Goddess ,hills and mountains,rivers,villages and the deities of their locality.
in the afternoon,The young girl of this community make a lovely arrangement of receiving the guests to appease them.they invite the guests to whom they choose to be their own friend or sari.the group of girls holding the hands of the guest,take him to the place of orship.they make the guests sitted ina cut;carrying the cut on their shoulders on four sides they move around the worship place seven times.At that time all the girls sing the song to entertain the guests.After moving around,They keep the cot in front of the goddess and touch the feet of the guests one by one and make JUHAR(obeisance)This ritual is called DHANGARIDOLA.
In the seventh day tha jani and disari along with the newly married couple of the previous day,leads a huge procession to the Goddess mountain.There they beg the blessing s from the hill goddess.After coming from the mountains,they eat,drink,and make merry by singing,dancing and merrymaking.At night the jani returns the sacrificial axe to the earth goddess.Aafter it the jani declares the festival over.

Medical students to serve 3yrs in Odisha tribal areas after passing out

2012-01-14T21:58:00.001+05:30

IBNlive, Jan 14, 2012
Bhubaneswar, Jan 14 (PTI) Students interested to study medical science in Odisha have to sign agreements with the college authorities committing to serve three years in tribal dominated districts after passing out from the state-run medical colleges, official sources said today. A notification in this regard was issued by health and family welfare department making it clear that the students need to sign agreements before being formally admitted to any of the three state run medical colleges. In case a student does not accept the condition, the seat meant for him/her would be rejected and kept vacant for the year, the notification issued yesterday said. The students who do not sign the bond would not be allowed admission in any government medical college, director medical education and training (DMET), P K Dash said adding medical degree holders have to pay penalty in case of default. According to the conditions in the bond, the students passing out from the government medical colleges would have to serve at least three years in tribal dominated districts and in backward KBK (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) region. "In case of default, the medical degree holders will have to pay Rs 5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh," Dash said adding that while a MBBS pass out student has to pay Rs 5 lakh as penalty for breaking the agreement, a post-graduate students will have to pay Rs 10 lakh and a super speciality course degree holder need to make a payment of Rs 15 lakh. Similarly, the students of the state-run nursing schools and colleges will also sign agreement committing to serve in remote areas of the state. The state has three medical colleges at Cuttack, Berhampur and Burla with 150 MBBS seats each. The decision of making it mandatory for the students to serve three years in the remote areas came in view of acute scarcity of doctors in tribal dominated districts. "We are facing difficulties in providing health service to people in remote areas as most of the students passing out from medical colleges go outside the state or serve in urban areas," a senior official at the health department said here. PTI AAM SKN

Paddy procurement in progress in Kalahandi

2012-01-14T02:02:00.002+05:30

The Pioneer, Jan 14, 2012
Dharamgarh

Normal paddy procurement process started in 13 blocks of Dharmagarh and Bhawanipatna sub-divisions since December 15, 2011.

From available sources it is ascertained that 8,01,894 quintals of paddy was procured till December 31 through different agencies against the fixed target of 24,70,580 quintals for the current financial year. Sources said a total of 83 mandis and six sub-centres are functioning.

Meanwhile, the procurement targets fixed by FAX-7,34,420 quintals, FCI-19,830 quintals, MARKFED-45, 120 quintals and LEBY-2,524 quintals have been completed as per information received from the Civil Supplies office of Kalahandi. For unknown reasons, NAFED has not procured paddy though the agency was given a target to procure 22,0,58 mt of paddy during the year.

Solve paddy procurement problems: NRO to CM

2012-01-13T13:58:00.000+05:30

The Pioneer, Jan 13, 2012

Non-resident Odia (NRO) Dr Digambara Patra, who is currently working as Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, has requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to solve the problems in the paddy procurement system in the State with particular focus on Kalahandi.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, Dr Patra expressed concern over the rise in the distress sale of paddy due to involvement of third parties and brokers in the State. He requested the Chief Minister to operate Mandis on daily basis and recruit a special officer at Panchyat or block level only to supervise paddy procurement, raise the upper limit of paddy procurement from 12 quintals per acre to 50 quintals, monitor authorisation of the farmers and punish brokers and officials in nexus.

He lamented that because of the corrupt system, in most of the Mandis, 90 per cent of the paddy is purchased from the brokers, while just 10 per cent comes directly from the farmers.

Umadevi Computer Centre: Three computer centers for the students of Kalahandi villages, started by a group of young workers of the village Mundraguda

2012-01-13T13:48:00.001+05:30

Shared by Dr Yashodhara Mishra

Distress sell of paddy in Kalahandi

2012-01-13T00:40:00.001+05:30

Note: Good initiative by Sri Sanat Pand and Sri Bikram Kashyap Panda

Dear Chief Minister Mr. Patnaik,
A petition has been signed by many people on distress sell of paddy in Kalahandi.

http://www.change.org/petitions/mp-representing-kalahandi-orissa-india-control-over-distress-sells-of-paddy-in-kalahandi

Despite all of your Government efforts and administration , the distress sells of paddy is continuing, especially in Kalahandi, due to involvement of third parties and brokers.As per the state Government’s current paddy procurement policy a regular farmer deposits Water tax or Malagujari Receipt along with voter Identity card to get a token to sell 12 quintals per acre of land. However, with modern method of cultivation farmers earn about 30 quintals per acre, best case it may reach 50 quintals per acre. Because of this upper limit kept by the Government, rest of the paddy is sold through brokers at low price by the farmers.

On the other side Mandies are constrained for 2/3 days in a week even in the peak time of procurement and the process of Mandi continues for two to several months that makes small or medium farmers to wait for a long time period to sell in the Mandies. Poor farmers who in need of money lose patience and approach the broker with their identification card that is used by brokers to sell in the Mandies bribing local officers. Because of the corrupt system in most of the Mandies 90% paddy are purchased from the brokers and 10 % comes directly from the farmers. Therefore, we request you to operate Mandies in daily basis and a special officer should be recruited in each Panchyat or block level only to supervise paddy procurement process by relaxing the upper limit to sell up to 50 quintals per acre of land. Authorization of farmers should be carefully monitored and limited to family members in case of urgency. A legal penalty and punishment should be introduced for brokers during paddy procurement. Officers indulged in entertaining brokers should be brought under severe punishment so that poor farmers in the state, especially in Kalahandi are utmost benefited and not at the receiving end every time.

Anticipating your positive response in these matters.

Thank you

Yours sincerely

Signatories
http://www.change.org/petitions/mp-representing-kalahandi-orissa-india-control-over-distress-sells-of-paddy-in-kalahandi

Natural Beauty: Dokri Chanchra

2012-01-11T22:36:00.000+05:30

Contributed by Sri Ingit Panda
Samaja, Jan 8, 2012

Some Old and new picture collections of Kalahandi Utsav- Ghumura at Dhramgarh

2012-01-11T18:16:00.000+05:30

Contributed by Sri Biranchi Jal

Rains damage rabi crops

2012-01-11T16:15:00.002+05:30

IBNlive, Jan 11, 2012

BHAWANIPATNA: Hailstorm and heavy rains on Monday damaged the rabi crops in many areas of Kalahandi district.� The worst-affected blocks are Bhawanipatna, Kesinga and Narla.

Sources said crops like onion, oilseeds and pulses have been damaged. Deputy Director of Agriculture Amareswar Mishra on Tuesday visited some of the affected villages.

He said the preliminary reports on the damage have been submitted to the district administration and the Director of Agriculture.� Mishra, after visiting Phatkamal and Adhmunda villages under Bhawanipatna block, said crops like moong, biri, sunflower and vegetable crops had been damaged on a large-scale.

�“Field staff of the Agriculture Department have been sent to other affected areas for damage assessment,” he added. Meanwhile, as many as 15 persons were injured in the hailstorm and have been admitted to Pastikudi and Bhawanipatna hospitals.

Rs 2.27 crore embezzled by 4 K'handi CS officials

2012-01-11T00:42:00.000+05:30

Shared by Sri Swarnendu Sai
The Pioneer, Jan 11, 2012

In a surprising development in the district of Kalahandi, the special audit report has exposed misappropriation of Rs 2,26,62,870 by four civil supply officials in three blocks. The officials are ex-Marketing Inspector of Jaipatna Block Srikant Pattnaik, ex-MI of Dharmagarh block Prakash Patra, ex-MI of Junagarh Khageswar Pandaand ex-ACSO of Dharmagarh block Pusha Munda.

The report revealed that while Pattnaik misappropriated Rs 2,01,16,472, Patra misappropriated Rs 1,22,400. The report indicts Panda and Munda having misappropriated Rs 12,97,599 and Rs 11,26,399 respectively.

Meanwhile, the district administration is reported to have summoned the officials found guilty in dishonest use of their official capacity in paddy procurement during 2006-2008 and asked them to deposit the amounts as the special audit suggested recovery from them within seven days, alternatively suggesting criminal prosecution.

It is alleged that such gross financial loss to the Government happened due to extreme laxity on the part of the district administration. There is public demand that the administration officials responsible for it should be commensurately penalised.

Government starts identifying landless tribals

2012-01-10T19:56:00.000+05:30

IBNlive, Jan 9, 2012

BHUBANESWAR: The Government has started the process of identifying the landless tribal people in the most backward blocks of tribal-dominated districts of the State.

�The programme is being implemented in 30 backward blocks of Koraput, Kalahandi, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts. Odisha Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods Programme (OTELP), working for enabling tribals to enhance their food security, has now taken up the mission of identifying landless people in 1,024 villages and settle in their favour.

�Official sources said that 424 Community Resource Persons (CRP) have been trained in collaboration with RDI, an international organisation which provides technical and facilitative support, for this purpose.� There are about 41 per cent homesteadless persons in Gajapati and Koraput districts.

�The first phase of the programme is scheduled to be implemented in 12 blocks of Gajapati, Kalahandi, Koraput and Kandhamal districts during the year. In this phase, 135 micro watershed structures (MWS) will be made functional in these areas.

�OTELP officials have been directed to implement post-project management plan to ensure sustainability of the progress already achieved. The second phase operation will be started in 1,034 villages involving 56,180 households inhabiting 358 micro watershed areas. �

�The programme adopts treatment of micro watershed through various soil, water and forest conservation methods for increasing productivity from these natural resources over a seven-year programme cycle. Initial two years will be devoted to community mobilisation and institution building,� making people understand the project,� their entitlements and duties before they begin.

�Non-government organisations (NGOs) have been taken in as partners for capacity building support at the grassroots level. The assessment done by IFAD through independent enumerators reveals that 90 per cent of the people have been involved in the OTELP and have got wage employment in it.

�About 64 per cent of the families have reported that they have got land titles, 83 per cent got increased returns from agricultural and minor forest produces, 60 per cent reported that they have� benefitted with health and sanitation services.

�IFAD annual outcome survey also indicated that there has been improvement in food security situation in� 52 per cent households. Migration has been reduced from 17 to 9 per cent and dependency on moneylenders has drastically fallen from 37 to 14 per cent over the last year.

�Official sources said OTELP Plus has been programmed to be implemented in six blocks of Koraput district over 102 MWS projects and six blocks of Malkangiri district over 149 MWS. The total budget for theses two districts is ` 263.69 crore for seven years which will be funded by the State Government.

Odisha: Free Medical Camp Organized for Polio and Handicapped Patients

2012-01-10T19:54:00.002+05:30

Orissadiary, Jan 9, 2012

Report by OrissaDiary.com correspondent; Bhubaneswar:Getting two days of meal is a tedious task for Arkhit Pujari. This has, in fact, become a day-to-day affair for Pujari to fight with his destiny for his livelihood. His being handicapped really puts him in a helpless situation. However, Pujari old had a reason to smile now when he got a tri-cycle free of cost at Junagarh – a small town in Kalahandi district of Odisha.

Pujari is on cloud nine now after he realized that on his own he can move around his own native place Junagarh where he spent all his past life. This has become possible at a day-long free medical camp at Junagarh for polio and handicapped patients organized by Lakshya Bhartee Foundation and supported by Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL), Lanjigarh on January 8, 2012. The medical camp was accomplished in association with Narayan Sewa Sansthan, Udaipur and Agrawal Samaj, Junagarh.

There were many poor patients like Pujari who were handed over wheel chairs, tri-cycle and identified for surgery at the medical camp. VAL, Lanjigarh contributed 20 numbers of wheel-chairs and tri-cycles and will contribute for surgery of 50 patients. Dr. Sabita Swain – Chief Medical Officer and Dr. Supriti Patra of Vedanta Hospital were also present on the medical camp to treat the patients.

The wheel chairs were handed over in presence of Mr. Kr Kundu – Head-HR, VAL, Mr. K. C. Gupta and Kamal Kumar of Lakshya Bhartee Foundation, Delhi. A total of 402 numbers of patients were registered on the day-long medical camp where 20 numbers of wheel chairs, 20 numbers of tri-cycle were handed over to the polio and handicapped patients. In addition, a total 125 number of patients were identified for surgery. The patients attended not only from Junagarh, but from various corners of Kalahandi district.

Ghumura-2012 at Dharamgarh

2012-01-10T14:08:00.000+05:30

Shared by Sri Ingit Panda

K’handi villagers migrate as projects lie unfinished

2012-01-10T14:06:00.002+05:30

Shared by Sri Swarnendu Sai
The Pioneer, Jan 6, 2012

The construction works of Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendras in nine gram panchayats, including Haramal, Mandal, Pandigaon, Deypur, Kalampur, Bandhakana, Bijmara, Minigur and Bandakutra under Kalampur block are lying unfinished though the time-bound works had started on July 19, 2010.

Sources alleged that due to lack of coordination and laxity on the part of the Government officials, the building works are lying unfinished though the deadline for the projects is over.

The Government has also failed to achieve its target of providing wage-based work to the daily labourers of the locality. Without work in their villages, the rural labourers are forced to migrate to other States where they have their experiences of harassment and torture.
The sources informed that only 40 per cent (Rs 38 lakh) of the (Rs 90 lakh), earmarked for the projects, has been spent so far. Similarly, Kalampur block office construction works are yet to be completed even though four years have passed. Only (Rs 18 lakh) out of the estimated (Rs 25 lakh) has been spent.
Locals have demanded disciplinary action against the officials responsible for such lapses in finishing the projects.

Cong, BJD eye ZP chief post in Kalahandi

2012-01-10T14:03:00.002+05:30

The Pioneer, Jan 8, 2012

No candidate filed nomination for Zilla Parishad (ZP) members from any party in the district both at Bhawaniapatna and Dharmagarh on Saturday. It appears the parties are yet to finalise their candidates.
While the BJD appears confident of bagging the Zilla Parishad chairman post, Congress is leaving no stone unturned to win it. Congress had won ZP election in the district last time.
In the three-tier panchayat poll, which would be held in February in five phases, 9,61,488 voters will cast their votes for 36 ZP zones, 273 sarpanchs, 273 samiti members and 3377 ward members. The selection of the candidates is being hurriedly prepared by the party leaders for Sarpanchs, Samiti and ZP members.
Seven panchayat Samiti chairman seats are reserved for women candidates out of 13 blocks in the district. Similarly, 18 seats are reserved for women candidates out of the 36 ZP seats. Out of 273 sarpanch and samiti members seats, 139 are reserved for women candidates and 1, 810 seats are reserved for women ward members.
The Zilla Parishad president seat is reserved for ST woman candidate while six seats are reserved for ST women out of 36 ZP seats in the district.

Shri Sudam Sahu- Blind but Music is to ears

2012-01-09T22:08:00.000+05:30

Shared by Sri Raj Singh Deo

Odisha: Vedanta Aluminium Conducts Sunflower Cultivation Training Programme for Farmers

2012-01-07T13:37:00.002+05:30

orissadiary.com, Jan 7, 2012

Report by OrissaDiary.com correspondent; Lanjigarh:With an aim to strengthen the existing skills of the farmers and to uphold the prevailing trend to keep intact the cultural ties, Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL) in association with District Agriculture Department, Kalahandi organized at Lanjigarh a Sunflower Cultivation Training Programme for the farmers of nearby villages of Lanjigarh, Kalahandi, Odisha on January 6, 2012.
The programme, a part of VAL’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, witnessed more than 100 farmers from villages like Basantpada, Kendubardi, Balabhadrapur, Raghunathpur, Dengsargi, Kapaguda and Bandhaguda. Agricultural Inputs like the use of Seeds, Fertilizer and Pesticides and Technical advice provided to the farmers.
Dr. Mukesh Kumar – President & COO, VAL-Lanjigarh attended the programme as Chief guest while Mr. K R Kundu, Head-HR and Niharika Sahu, Head-CSR were also present to give their valuable tips. Mr. Hrudananda Samantray – Assistant Agriculture Officer, Lanjigarh Block) and Mr. Raghubir Nag – Agriculture Overseer, Lanjigarh Block were present to give technical knowledge about Sunflower Cultivation.
The farmers of Lanjigarh region were very contented with the training programme as one farmer Kataru Majhi from Rengopali village expresses, “We used to cultivate Sunflower in a large scale. However, the training programme will be very helpful to us in terms of the technical aspect which will help us in growing more from fewer lands.”
Dr. Mukesh Kumar in his deliberation mentioned about the importance of agriculture and insisted on growing at least 3-4 crops a year. He also discussed about the irrigation facilities and the way forward to streamline the same in consultation with the Government Departments.

Odisha: Dongria Kondhas dance to the tune of Kui songs

2012-01-03T20:05:00.000+05:30

Orissadiary.com, Jan 3, 2012
Report by OrissaDiary.com correspondent; Lanjigarh: It was a memorable day for the Donria Kondha Community and their cultural tradition when they proudly regaled the audience at Lanjigarh (Kalahandi), Odisha by dancing to songs in their own kui language, on 31st Dec. 2011, night. This was a year after the launching of the first ever Kui Music Album ‘Niyamgiri ti Rani’ with the help of Vedanta.

The normally shy & timid Dongria Kondha, led by Jitu jakasika, were overwhelmed with joy while performing before a huge audience to the songs of ‘Niyamgiri ti Rani’. It is a unique achievement as all the eight songs in the album have been written by Gopal Melaka; and the singers are Jitu Jakasika, Ramesh Kulesika, Gopal Melaka, Stephen and Biraji, Dongria, all natives of Lanjigarh & Muniguda. The music has been composed by noted Oriya music director Manmath Mishra.

As Jitu remembers, “We released our Kui Music Album ‘Niyamgiri ti Rani’ on 19th October, 2010 with the support of Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL), Lanjigarh; and after one year we are going to release the video album also.”

Present on the occasion, Dr. Mukesh Kumar, President & COO – VAL, felicitated the group and praised the community for their endeavor. Dr. Kumar reiterated Vedanta's vision and effort at the overall development and preservation of the culture of the Dongria Tribes in the peripheral areas of Kalahandi, where it operates an alumina refinery. He said, "The Dongria Kondha community, led by Jitu, has made a laudable attempt in bringing their language and culture to the limelight. Vedanta will continue in its efforts to support them. We will also try our best to make the tribal community self-sustainable. Culture is as important to us as socio-economic development, which has been our top priority."

The first ever Kui Music Album ‘Niyamgiri ti Rani’ was launched at Mayfair, Bhubaneswar on 19th October, 2010. This was the first-of-its kind initiative by Vedanta to bring the rich cultural heritage, the music and the language of the Dongria Kondha community to the limelight.

The Dongria Kondhas are one of the primitive tribal inhabitants of Lanjigarh, in the district of Kalahandi, Odisha. Kui, the traditional language of the Dongria Kondhas, has a rich oral history that the elders of the community pass on from generation to generation through their folk songs and stories. Dongria Kondhas, under the leadership of Jitu Jakasika, pioneered the thought of promoting their culture with their own music band.

Vedanta Aluminium has begun this unique initiative to promote the culture and tradition of Kondha tribes in Odisha.

CM sends wishlist on railway projects

2011-12-30T01:42:00.000+05:30

Note: Construction of Bhadrachalam Road-Talcher rail link via Malkangiri, Jeypore, Lanjigarh, Sambalpur-Berhampur line via Phulbani and Rayagada-Gopalpur rail-link via Bhismagiri are good porposals by the CM

IBNlive, Dec 29, 2011

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Wednesday demanded a package for Odisha in the forthcoming railway budget as the route length and rail density in the State is well below national average and also substantially lower vis-a-vis the neighbors.

�The package includes proposals for enhanced provisions for ongoing projects, sanctioning of new lines, surveys, introduction of new trains, extension and increase in frequency of existing mail/express trains, improved passenger amenities at stations and on board.

�In separate letters to the Prime Minister and the� Railway Minister, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has demanded allocation of a sizeable part of the revenue generated from Odisha for the State for strengthening and expanding rail infrastructure. Gross earnings from various stations are estimated to be more than Rs 7500 crore during 2010-11.

� In his letter to Manmohan Singh, Naveen said that the Centre has initiated many ambitious projects like dedicated freight corridor aligned with mega industrial hubs, national road expressways and high speed train projects which have completely bypassed Odisha. However, some of the country’s largest investments in the steel, aluminium and power sectors are coming up in the State.

Naveen said his Government has planned setting up of greenfield ports dotting the state’s coastline which will be the country’s gateway to international maritime trade as well as a logistics channel between the eastern and western coasts. A synchronised development plan between the ports and rail connectivity is a necessity for maximising economic gains.

The Chief Minister demanded that the eastern dedicated freight corridor from Ludhiana to Dankuni should be extended to Berhampur to ensure seamless movement of freight between the ports and the vast northern and southern hinterland of the country.

The construction of Bhadrachalam Road-Talcher rail link via Malkangiri, Jeypore, Lanjigarh, Sambalpur-Berhampur line via Phulbani and Rayagada-Gopalpur rail-link via Bhismagiri should be expedited as these areas are untouched by railways. These projects should also be declared as national projects, he said.

Because of proposed investments in steel, aluminium, coal and petrochemicals, the Chief Minister also proposed dedicated rail corridors in Angul-Talcher coal belt and Banspani-Nayagarh iron ore region.

Dharmagarh livestock centres in disarray

2011-12-30T01:35:00.002+05:30

The Pioneer, Dec 29, 2011

While the Government claims to have opened 9,000 veterinary dispensaries all over Odisha for treatment of the animals, in Dharamgarh sub-division, the Parla veterinary dispensary is in complete disarray.

Similarly, a few other centres are also haunted by the problem of doctors and livestock inspectors playing truant. At these centers and dispensaries, night watchers in drunken mood perform the duties of the doctors.

A beautiful building with all facilities at a cost of Rs7 lakh has been constructed for the dispensary at Parla, but the doctor hardly stays there.

The livestock inspectors are no better and are neglecting the treatment of the animals with impunity.

HIV+ patients on rise in Kalahandi

2011-12-27T21:36:00.002+05:30

The Pioneer, Dec 27, 2011

The number of HIV+ patients is on the rise in Kalahandi district. As per the available information, 356 patients with AIDS are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the district while an unofficial assessment puts the figure at over 1,000. Sources said most patients are found in 13 blocks and three urban towns of the district. Basically, migrating labourers from outside the State are bringing the virus. The number of migrating labourers in the district has risen up to 1,500.
As per a health department report, out of 356 AIDS affected patients, 35 have already died and now seven women and 10 children are undergoing treatment at the district headquarters hospital. For detection of AIDS and preventive health measure, integrated AIDS examination centres have been opened at Bhawanipatna, Kesinga and Dharamgarh.
Sources informed from 2006 to 2011, 14,208 AIDS patients have been detected in the district and given counselling. Out of them, the blood samples of 10,988 patients had been examined at Bhawanipatna district headquarters hospital and 236 patients were detected as HIV positive.

Rehabilitation of TCPC at Junagarh Urgently Wanted

2011-12-26T12:50:00.000+05:30

Contributed by Sri Debendra Bisi

District Level Nation Pess Day Celebraion at Dharamgarh

2011-12-25T15:17:00.003+05:30

Shared by Sri Ingit Panda

Sage of Kalahandi Utsav - Ghumura at Dharamgarh since past 9 years

2011-12-25T02:58:00.000+05:30

Contributed by Sri Ingit Panda

Paradeswar Temple - 2003

Dokri Chanchara - 2004

Palace and Manikeswar Temple - 2005

Asurgad - 2006

Brajamohan Temple - 2007

Indravati - 2008

Junagad-Old Capital of Kalahandi - 2009

Churapahad - 2010

Belkhandi - 2011

Bhawanipatna declared as second tobacco free city in the state

2011-12-24T15:58:00.000+05:30

Sambad, Dec 24, 2011

Hydel project: K’handi villagers get power 16 hrs per day

2011-12-23T01:30:00.000+05:30

Note: Good initiative. Efforts should be made to establish more such project.

The Pioneer, Dec 23, 2011

While the demand for electricity has been increasing day by day, the Government is unable to provide sufficient electricity to its consumers.

But with the combined effort of an NGO and poor people, a micro hydro system has been initiated that is catering to the need of 285 families of five villages with uninterrupted supply of electricity for 16 hours a day over last three years at Purunuguma village under Thuamul Rampur block. The people of the remote pocket were living without electricity before 2008.

With the financial aid of Rs 30 lakh from Switzerland Development Corporation, an NGO “Gram Vikas” accumulated the stream water flowing from a hilly area and diverted it through a small tunnel and succeed in generating electricity after setting up of a micro hydro system in the village.

The project was started after collecting Rs 1,000 from each household. It was commissioned in November, 2008 with the concrete efforts of Purunaguma, Lineguda and Choudaguda villagers. The denizens are now enjoying 16 hours of power supply which helps them watch television at homes and their children study at night. The micro hydro system is providing the energy from 4 pm to 8 am. However, efforts are being made to provide 24 hours uninterrupted power supply to the locals by the NGO.

The beneficiaries pay Rs 30 per month for which maintenance expenses is incurred. Apart from this, a rice mill and a mini oil mill have been set up in Purunaguma that run with electricity from the project and help the inhabitants increase their income. A survey report said that more than 40 micro hydro projects can be set up in different remote pockets in Kalahandi after collecting stream waters from the hilly areas. For sure, if the Government focuses on such projects, power shortage will be a thing of the past.

Locals demand probe into K’handi school building scam

2011-12-23T01:27:00.002+05:30

The Pioneer, Dec 23, 2011

The salaries of defaulting 28 headmasters of Bhawanipatna education sub-division and 16 headmasters of Dharamgarh education sub-division have been withheld for financial irregularities in building works in their schools.

They allegedly maintained serious lapses in the school buildings works as most of the projects are lying incomplete beyond their due time of completion. These building construction works had been started in 2004 but till date they are unfinished.

Sources said Rs 41.89 lakh had been given as advance to authorities of various schools in Kalahandi district to undertake the building works in 2004.

The locals have demanded a thorough probe into all irregularities and strict punishment against not only the headmasters of the schools but also all the officials who connived with them.

Tourism: Paradeswar in Dharamgarh

2011-12-23T01:26:00.001+05:30

Reported by Ingit Panda
Samaja

Preparatory meet held for K’handi Ghoomura fest

2011-12-22T12:59:00.000+05:30

The Pioneer, Dec 22, 2011

Preparations are underway to make the NAC — and block-level Kalahandi Ghoomura Utsav a success. A preparatory meeting for organising the festival was recently held here at the block conference hall under the chairmanship of BDO Trilochan Mohanty.

In his preliminary address, Mohanty thanked the people of the town and the block area for their whole-hearted support for success of the festival last year. The festival will start from January 7 and continue for three days. On the inaugural day Kalahandi Collector Dukhishyam Satpathi will receive the Maa Lankeswari Masal and inaugurate the Lankeswari Manch.

Different cultural programmes will be held during the festival besides competitions in volleyball, cycling, cycling by the physically challenged, jhoti, sweet ululation, debate, song and essay writing. In addition, sand art competition will also be held during the festival.

Mohanty appealed the police and officials of different departments like electricity, public health and sanitation of Junagarh NAC to extend their full-fledged cooperation to make the festival a success. For smooth arrangement, some committees were formed at the meeting. Among others, tehsildar Rabindranath Kanhar, IIC of the local PS Birabal Badi, Uco Bank Branch Manager I Chouhan, NAC chairman Sudhansu Barad and activist Ashok Patnaik were present.

Paddy procurement in mess: Cong

2011-12-20T18:35:00.000+05:30

The Pioneer, Dec 20, 2011
The Kalahandi District Congress Harijan Cell alleged kharif paddy procurement had been disrupted in the district due to undue interference by local leaders, dalals, millers and corrupt Government employees leading to harassment of the farmers.

Sources said as per an order of the district collector, the civil supplies department has been entrusted to procure kharif paddy this year. Though mandis were opened, the farmers were not informed where to shift their paddy. When farmers are carrying their paddy to the nearest mandi, their prices are deducted.
The Harijan Cell demanded for an enquiry into the paddy procurement method, all irregularities done to harass the farmers and strict action against the dalals and dishonest traders who are making a mess of things.

Indravati reservoir needs urgent renovation

2011-12-19T18:58:00.000+05:30

The Pioneer, Dec 19, 2011

Water level capacity and production of electricity are gradually decreasing from Indravati Irrigation Project.
Due to shortfall of rain this year, only 10, 000 hectares of land have been irrigated against its capacity to irrigate 54, 000 hectares of land during both Rabi and Khariff seasons.
Now, the reservoir has 629 metres of water at surface level. It is doubtful after extension work of canals, the planned programme for irrigating 1,28,000 hectares of land will ever be met. Hence, renovation of the project is badly needed, said sources.

Child rights convention held in Kalahandi

2011-12-19T18:56:00.002+05:30

The Pioneer, Dec 19, 2011

An annual convention on child rights was organised by Help a Child of India in Thuamul Rampur Block on Thursday where around 600 children from 12 villages participated. The children took out a rally focusing on child rights in the block.
Zila Parishad member Banamali Naik attended the meeting as a chief guest. He dealt at length the measures taken by the Government to ensure child rights in a remote place like Thuamul Rampur.
Meritorious children were awarded. A cultural programme was conducted by the children. MLA representatives Kunja Naik, Arindam Kalesh, John Williams, Jaywant Das, Jagdiswar Naik were present.

Railway Infrastructure in PPP Mode

2011-12-17T15:44:00.000+05:30

Dear Honorable Chief Minister Mr Patnaik,

Expecting an early recovery from your ankle injury, I am pleased that you have been consistent while raising the railway interest of the state, while a 20-member assembly delegation led by Speaker Pradip Amat and a number of MPs from Odisha met railway minister taking various demand of the state recently.

However, beside all these efforts mining companies should be persuaded to develop internal infrastructure in railway through PPP mode. Many mining companies are engaged in Australia, Brazil, etc to develop local railway infrastructure while exploring for mining & metal industries, in Odisha such practice is being limited to port connectivity and eastern part of the state, whereas backward and mining regions are rarely getting any benefit in terms of railway infrastructure.

With the current speed of railway development, especially in KBK-Kandhamal-Boudh-Gajapati districts, it is doubtful whether connecting all these districts in this region with the state capital will ever be possible in next 50 years. Few innovative proposals are urgently required for speed expansion of railway infrastructure in this region.

For instance NALCO and RSB Metaltech Ltd have major interests for alumina in Damanjodi in Koraput and Kalyansingpur in Rayagada and are, respectively, engaged for aluminum smelters and parks in Angul and Dhenkanal. These companies are required to transport their minerals/coals from Damanjodi/Kalyansingpur to Angul/Dhenkanal and vice versa. Constructing Lanjigarh road - Phulbani-Talcher railway line will at least reduce 100 km for NALCO for its mineral transportation from Damanjodi to Angul and vice versa.

Similarly RSB Metaltech Ltd will be benefited from this railway line when the company will link Kalyansingpur with Lanjigarh via Ambadola. Lanjigarh-Ambdola railway link is already constructed by Vedanta Aluminum Limited (VAL). It will be wise to engage the above three companies to construct Lanjigarh road - Phulbani- Talcher railway line, which is under survey, through PPP mode.

This line will boost backward Kandhamal district most and bring it to the railway map by directly connecting with the state capital. Other regions like Kalahandi, Nuapada, Titilagarh (Balangir dist), Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts will be also directly get rail connectivity with Bhubaneswar as this line joins Khurda road-Balangir line near Puruna Cuttack (or Charichok). Thus, along with Khurdha road-Balangir line this line would facilitate most of the KBKK districts to have direct link with state capital which will helping in eliminating their remoteness. Kandhamal district may also receive some industrial investment such as for thermal plant if it is directly linked with Angul and Talcher by railway.

On the other side, NALCO, Utkal Alumina and L&T are planning their aluminum plants in Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Sundergarh regions but their major mining interests are located around Kashipur, Thuamul Rampur, Dasmantpur and Damanjodi. A railway line connecting Damanjodi-Dasmantpur-Kashipur-Karlapat-Bhawanipatna-Kesinga will be of their interest to link their refineries and smelters cum Aluminum Parks in a shortest possible way. This will also bring Dasmantpur, Karlapat, Kashipur, Thuamul Rampur etc which are rich in minerals, one of the highest bauxites deposits in Asia, and known for their touristic opportunities to the railway map by creating infrastructure development in the backward pockets and making a win-win business opportunities for the Government, local people and mining companies, thus, such possibilities in KBKK region should be given high priority. NALCO, Utkal Alumina, Vedanta Aluminum Limited, RSB Metaltech, L&T etc should be engaged while signing the MoU and there after as a precondition to participate in railway development in the local region.

I am optimistic you will look into this matter and take the issue to railway ministry, ECOR and concerned mining companies.

Thanking you

Best regards

Digambara Patra

NOTE: It was copied to railway ministry and chief secretary of Odisha.

Congress rally demands K’handi declared drought-hit

2011-12-16T00:54:00.002+05:30

The Pioneer, Dec 16, 2011

Kalahandi District Congress Committee organised a massive rally on Wednesday demanding declaration of Kalahandi district as drought-hit.
More than 6,000 farmers from six blocks assembled at this sub-divisional headquarters where State Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik addressed the rally and warned the Government that the farmers of the entire district would be forced to court arrest in a jail bharo movement from January 15 if the problems faced by the farmers were not solved within the deadline.
Patnaik mounted a scathing attack on the Government for indulgence in corrupt practices at all levels.
This huge gathering was also addressed by Opposition leader in the Assembly Bhupinder Singh, Kalahandi MP Bhakta Charan Das, former Ministers Jagannath Patnaik and Rahasa Bihari Behera, Junagarh MLA Gobardhan Dash, senior Congress leader Rabindra Pattjoshi and Dharmagarh Block Congress vice-president Bishnu Prasad Agrawal who accused the Government of total failure in solving farmers’ genuine problems and cautioned it about the jail bharo programme the Government failed to declare Kalahandi as drought-affected.
A memorandum with 24 demands, addressed to the Governor, was handed over to the Sub-Collector.

PR Secy visits K’handi, reviews projects

2011-12-14T17:26:00.002+05:30

The Pioneer, Dec 14, 2011

Panchayati Raj Department Secretary Pradeep Jena on a flying visit reached Golamunda block known as an interior part of Kalahandi district.
His visit was aimed at looking closely various developmental works being implemented in the area. Dharamgarh Sub-Collector Gouri Parashar, Project Director DRDA and various officials accompanied Jena. The team visited various Gram Panchayats where Bharat Nirman Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendras are being constructed.
During his inspection of the pattern of construction works, Jena was pleased with the quality maintained in the work. Jenawas however annoyed when he knew that the seva kendra at Brundabahal GP was incomplete but earlier it had been inaugurated.
He instructed the executive agency to take quick step to complete the construction works within stipulated time.
At the same time, he inspected various Aaganwadi Centres and observed the cooking of food.
He took serious note of the case of the seven pregnant women, who were deprived of the benefits under Mamata Yojana.
The Secretary required explanation from Golamunda CDPO as well concerned supervisor for such lapses. At the same time, he instructed the Sub-Collector and the CDPO to take quick step to include the women in the scheme.
On the way, Jena visited an ideal banana garden of a youth farmer at Rengsapali. Jena inspected Patramara reserved forest and reviewed the plantation works of 40 lakh teak wood trees in the forest.
He also visited a newly constructed bridge at Deykote, which was completed recently at a cost of `4 lakh. Later, at Dharamgarh, he reviewed various developmental works.

Junagarh hospital cuts sorry figure sans facilities

2011-12-14T17:23:00.002+05:30

The Pioneer, Dec 14, 2011

The Community Health Centre (CHC) established in 1932 and catering to the need of the people of Junagarh block and the adjoining village areas is sadly deficient of essential treatment facilities.
Everyday around 300 people register their name in the hospital but have to face many problems in getting the treatment. The hospital has 30 beds, but everyday almost 50 patients come for admission. They have to get treated on the floor. Against eight sanctioned posts of doctors and 12 staff nurses, only four doctors and six staff nurses are available in the hospital.
Under the CHC, there are six PHCs. But only in Charbahal and Kulihari PHCs, a doctor each is available, where as in Chilguda, Mahichala and Habaspur PHCs, the post of doctor has been lying vacant since long. There is no blood bank in the hospital and no Xray. To give blood for test, patients have to go to Bhawanipatana and Dharamagah.
For treatment of major ailments, the patients have to depend on district headquarters hospital at Bhawanipatana.
Resentment is brewing up among the general public with the hospital cutting a sorry figure and the higher authority remaining silent over taking steps to ameliorate the situation.

Misappropriation of farmers compensation cheque

2011-12-14T13:51:00.002+05:30

Contributed by Sri Debendra Bisi
Sambad, Dec 14, 2011

Congress legislators threw chair into Odisha Speaker's podium

2011-12-13T13:34:00.000+05:30

Orissadiary, Dec 12, 2011

Bhubaneswar: Congress legislators threw a chair into Speaker's podium and snatched papers from his table demanding declaration of Kalahandi as drought affected district. As unruly scenes prevailed, Speaker adjourned the House till 12 noon after which members discussed law and order problem.

As in the morning opposition Congress voiced concern over security of MLAs citing the killing of legislator Jagabandhu Majhi in Nabarangpur district on September 24. The assembly was adjourned twice today amid uproar as opposition Congress stormed into the well alleging a "fixing" during the Question hour by the ruling BJD. As the House assembled for the day, Speaker Pradip Amat called out the name of BJD MLA Khageswar Behera for the first question relating to Home department and meant to be replied by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Though the chief minister was present, Behera was yet to enter into the House, prompting Congress MLAs to allege that he deliberately avoided entering despite being present in the Assembly building as part of a "fixing" by the ruling BJD. As the Speaker moved to the next question, Congress members trooped into the well alleging a deliberate move by BJD to skip the first question which would have led to a discussion on Naxal problem.

Shouting slogans, Congress legislators threw a chair into Speaker's podium and snatched papers from his table demanding declaration of Kalahandi as drought affected district. As unruly scenes prevailed, Speaker adjourned the House till 12 noon after which members discussed law and order problem. Opposition Congress voiced concern over security of MLAs citing the killing of legislator Jagabandhu Majhi in Nabarangpur district on September 24.

State Budget should reflect people's aspirations

2011-12-12T15:59:00.000+05:30

Shared by Sri Sudhir Mishra
Note: We have been raising that contructing barrages on Tel reiver would help Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Balangir, Sonepur and Boudh. In this report one view on one of the possible barrage is presented by rerired Er. Premraj Sai which can irrigate 204, 000 hectares of land and submerge 100 hectares of Govt. land. This idea could be pursued by local politicans.

The Pioneer, Dec 11, 2011
To ensure peoples' participation and to reflect peoples' aspirations in the State Budget and acquaint them with it and its process, a pre-budget consultation meet for Balangir was held here on Tuesday.

The budget is prepared by bureaucrats where involvement of people at the grassroots is very less. There should be more peoples' participation in budgetary process, observed farmer leader Uday Singh Thakur.

Besides taking steps for creation of more irrigation facility in the district, special attention should be given to the displaced person, Thakur opined, adding that more hospitals should be opened at the Gram Panchayat level for better delivery of healthcare and services to the rural people.

The Odisha Budget and Accountability Centre of CYSD along with ADHAR organised the consultation meet.

The needs and aspirations of the people of the district will be reflected in the forthcoming budget, observed Prakash Barik of Odisha Budget and Accountability Centre (OBAC), CYSD. Over last seven years, the OBAC is carrying out the process, Barik informed.

A sample survey in 22villages of the district revealed four priority areas of Balangir district, namely education, health service, women and child development and agriculture, pointed out Nandi Kishore Sandh of Balangir district budget watch group.

There should be more number of regular teachers, better infrastructure in schools and better monitoring of functioning of the schools to realise the desired objective of Right to Education Act (RTE), Nandi said further.

For better delivery of health care and services in the district, the number beds of district headquarters hospital should be increased to 500 and more mobile teams should be engaged to deliver health care services in rural areas. The ICDS system in the district should be strengthened and steps should be taken to ensure their transparency through social audit and public hearing, Nandi asserted.

By constructing a barrage on Tel river, irrigation could be provided to 20,40,00 hectares of land in Kalahandi, Balangir, Sonepur and Boudh districts. This would lead to submergence of 100 hectares of Government land, pointed out a retired engineer Premraj Sai. Sai presented a paper on irrigation prospect in the district.

The health care system which is reeling under vacant doctors' posts is also suffering from the problem of "deputation".

"A doctor posted in rural areas is being brought to district headquarters hospital or other hospitals on deputation. This makes it difficult for a doctor to serve properly to the patients in all the hospitals at a time," pointed out Patnagarh MLA KV Singhdeo. Uma Shankar Sahu stressed the need for addressing the issue of dropouts in schools and migrant children in the district.

Rice mills shut: K'handi workers migrate for jobs

2011-12-12T14:49:00.002+05:30

The Pioneer, Dec 12, 2011
Thousands of labourers are preparing to migrate to other States as the medium scale industries are on a verge of closure in Kalahandi.

Report said due to closure of nine rice mills in the district, it has rendered thousands of workers jobless and they were preparing to migrate to other cities for their livelihood.

During the Kharif season, the district administration has directed 75 millers out of 120 mills to deliver rice to the State Government. Report said that nine rice millers had been punished by the district administration as they were found defaulters in providing rice last year.

"We were barred to procure paddy in Rabi crop too but again we are facing the same situation in the current Kharif procurement. How long will it continue?" a mill owner asked. Most of the workers have set up their mind to go outside. We should be made free to lift the paddy from PACs this year by the administration.

But it is lingering the matter unnecessarily which has provoked the workers to go to other States for work. We appealed to the Kalahandi district collector several times and he also assured us to start the procurement this year, but the CSO is lingering the matter, they rued.

Adivasis in Odisha observe martyr's day

2011-12-11T16:31:00.002+05:30

IBNlive, Dec 10, 2011
Bhawanipatna (Odisha), Dec 10 (PTI) The Adivais in tribal-dominated Kalahandi district of Odisha today observed the martyr's day on the death anniversary of noted Adivasi leader Rindo Majhi. Majhi, had died of bullet wounds on this day in 1855. Majhi and 18 of his supporters were shot by East India Company force. A rally and public meetings were held at Urladani and Bhawanipatna. Floral tributes were offered to the martyrs in the Sahid Memorial pillar at Urladani where tribals with weapons, musical instruments and dressed up in traditional dress took part in large numbers. The tribal uprising against East India Company's rule in Kalahandi led by Rindo Majhi is popularly known as "Kondh Mellee".

Wagon Factory at Narla: CM is the culprit

2011-12-11T01:08:00.002+05:30

Note: Sri Debendra Bisi is behind this report based on RTI information we received. Lots of thanks to him. Some of the young journalists are slowly powering themselves to take the local issues in infrastructure, industry, education etc. Its a good sign.

Sambad, Dec 9, 2011

Corruption: Poor construction of Ladugaon-Sunamal, Uchhula-Gargab, Dharamgarh-Kharipadar, Parla-Behera PMGSY roads under Dhramgarh Rural Development Division

2011-12-11T01:02:00.000+05:30

Sambad, Dec 9, 2011

B’patna road work hits low quality row

2011-12-09T12:38:00.000+05:30

Note: This road was named as a state highway 42

The Pioneer, Dec 9, 2011

Allegations are galore that low quality material is being used in the construction of a PWD road from Bhawanipatna to Kasipur via Gunpur.
In the first phase, Rs 50 lakh was allotted for construction of 10.7 km of the road. But the contractor allegedly managed to withdraw Rs 20 lakh after using low quality metal, sand, and insufficient cement on the road. Also, the road was left half-finished. Now the road has started developing cracks on it.
Sources alleged that in spite of a bad track record of the contractor, the PWD Executive Engineer is ready to handover another three km road work project to him for reasons best known to him.
Locals demand due vigilance on the road works by the district administration. The PWD Executive Engineer did not respond, when asked why he was interested to appoint the same contractor for further projects.

New railway lines on track: ECoR

2011-12-09T11:45:00.000+05:30

Times of India, Dec 8, 2011

BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar-Kendujhargarh fast passenger was flagged off by Lok Sabha member Prasanna Kumar Patasani here on Wednesday.
The new train will leave Bhubaneswar at 4 pm on every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
It will reach Kendujhargarh the same day at 9.15 pm and start its return journey at 5.30 am the next day to reach Bhubaneswar at 11.20 am.

Speaking on the occasion, general manager (East Coast Railway) Indra Ghosh said out of eleven new trains announced in the last Railway Budget for introduction in East Coast Railway; four new trains viz. Puri-Shalimar Weekly express, Bhubaneswar-Jharsuguda Rajyarani tri weekly express, Visakhapatnam-Shalimar weekly express and Puri-Gandhigham express have already been introduced. Similarly, Sambalpur-Nizamabad and Visakhapatnam-Nazimabad express trains have already been extended to Nanded.
Ghosh said railways have made considerable progress on construction of new lines and would shortly open the section between Lanjigarh to Bhawanipatna of Lanjigarh-Junagarh new line and Khurda Road to Begunia as a part of Khurda Road-Bolangir new line and also Haridaspur-Jenapur 3rd line as a part of Jakhapura-Haridaspur 3rd line. He said planning work on doubling of Puri-Delang section is also at an advance stage" added Ghosh.
The survey for New BG lines between Rayagada-Gopalpur, Junagarh-Ambaguda, Khurda Road-Rajathgarh bye-passing Bhubaneswar, Kantabanji-Jeypore, Sambalpur-Brahmapur, Bolangir-Nawapara, Dantewara-Malkanagiri, Talcher-Phulbani & Junagarh-Malkanagiri have been taken up in a big way and are in various stages of progress.
On completion of all these projects, East Coast Railway will definitely justify its importance on the map of Indian Railways, said the General Manager.
Divisional Railway Manager, S. K. Mohanty among others also spoke on the occasion.

Special package for backward districts, demands Naveen

2011-12-09T11:39:00.002+05:30

The Hindu, Dec 8, 2011

Alleging neglect of Odisha by the Centre amid bonanza to other States, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday cried injustice and urged Prime Minister Manmmohan Singh to sanction a special package for the backward districts of the state at the earliest.

Mr. Patnaik conveyed the Orissa government’s feeling in a letter to the Prime Minister.

The fresh move came barely 15 days after the chief minister wrote a strongly worded letter to the prime minister on November 24 resenting the Centre’s refusal to grant special category state status to Odisha.

Quoting media reports, Mr. Patnaik said: “We come to know that the Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved a special package of Rs 8,750 crore for five years for the development of backward districts of West Bengal.”

Odisha, on other hand, got only Rs 340 crore under the Backward Region Grants Fund (BRGF) for 2011—12 for 19 backward districts (About Rs 1,700 crore over five years), he said.

This apart, Odisha’s proposal for continuation of the special package for KBK (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) districts in the 12th plan has not been considered so far, Mr. Patnaik said.

“Would it not seem to you, Sir, this is an injustice?,” Mr. Patnaik said in the letter to Prime Minister.

Stating that every part of India should get benefits under the BRGF, Mr. Patnaik said “the disparity between Rs 8,750 crore and Rs 1,700 crore seems to be quite glaring.”

Union Home minister P Chidambaram, who visited Odisha last month, should have apprised the Prime Minister about the situation here, he said.

Centre sanctions 19 polytechnics

2011-12-08T15:09:00.000+05:30

Note: One of the polytechnics will be in Jaipatna in Kalahandi. This is a good initiative as Jaipatna was not getting much attention in education.

Expressbuzz, Dec 8, 2011
BHUBANESWAR: The Centre has sanctioned 19 polytechnics for the State to be established under the public private partnership (PPP) mode.

The State Government has proposed to set up the polytechnics at Kalinga Nagar, Champua, Padampur, Rairangpur, Paradip, Astarang, Bhanjanagar, Baliapal, Khurda, Koraput, Daspalla, Rairakhole, Pallahara, Narsingpur, Titlagarh, Jaipatana, Bisamkatak, Sundargarh and Umerkote.

The Ministry will provide ` 3 crore one- time assistance for each polytechnic on the recommendation of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The State Government will provide either land or ` 2 crore as its share.

The industry partners will deposit a minimum amount of ` 10 crore for infrastructure development like construction of building and procurement of equipment for the institute.

The industry partners may set up the polytechnics within the industry campus or else the State Government will provide land. If the industry partner provides land, the land deeds are to be transferred to the management committee of the institute.

The recurring expenditure of the proposed institute will be borne by the management committee from fees collected from the students and internal revenue generation. The private partners will meet the additional expenditure, if any, of the institute.

Admission to the polytechnics will be based on common entrance examination or the existing procedure adopted in the State. However, concessional fees will be mandatory for weaker and disadvantaged section of society.

The Government and the private promoters will sign a memorandum of understanding with AICTE.

Admission fee for the polytechnics will be decided by the State Government in consultation with the management committee of each institute.

As per the circular of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, programmes or courses to be offered by polytechnics will be decided by the management committee. The trades to be offered should relate to the industries partnering under the project.

If the private partner is not an industry, the Government will identify the needs of the region in consultation with the managing committee.

The proposed polytechnics will be affiliated to the Board of Technical Education and the State Government may accord autonomous status in consultation with the AICTE.

Multiple industry partners may join together to set up polytechnics so that collaboration in different areas will be possible.

Plans Afoot
* The Ministry will provide ` 3 crore one-time assistance for each polytechnic
* The State Government will provide either land or ` 2 crore as its share.
* The industry partners will deposit a minimum amount of ` 10 crore for infrastructure development
* The industry partners may set up the polytechnics within its campus or else the State Government will provide land

Bridge over Hati river: Lotus is moving away

2011-12-08T14:00:00.000+05:30

Shared by Sri Debendra Bisi

Schools in a shambles in Kalahandi

2011-12-07T12:34:00.002+05:30

Shared by Sri Sudhir Mishra
Industry and Mines Observor

MoEF puts Vedanta ToR on hold

2011-12-06T15:04:00.002+05:30

Expressbuzz, Dec 6, 2011
BHUBANESWAR: In a fresh setback to Vedanta Aluminium Ltd (VAL), the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has put off the issue of terms of reference (ToR) for the expansion of the company’s Lanjigarh refinery project.
The ToR issuance is necessary to conduct environment impact assessment (EIA) study for VAL’s alumina refinery project. The MoEF took the decision in view of the Review Petition which VAL had filed before the Odisha High Court seeking reconsideration of the court’s decision to stop the expansion.
“It is proposed that the issuance of ToR be kept in abeyance till the disposal of the Review Petition by the High Court of Odisha,” the MoEF notice said.
Earlier in August, the Vedanta Aluminium Ltd had applied to the Ministry for issue of ToR as a pre-condition to carry out the EIA study for its expansion project.
Vedanta’s proposed expansion of its 1 million tonne per annum (MTPA) alumina refinery to 6 MTPA had been halted by the MoEF following a report from the Saxena Committee which castigated VAL for carrying out the expansion programme without any environment clearance. The Ministry had issued stop work order in October last year.
Later, the High Court also rejected plea of Vedanta in July upholding the MoEF decision to stay the expansion of the alumina refinery in Lanjigarh.

The VAL had also sought enhancement of the captive power generation to 285 MW from the existing 75 MW at its facility at Lanjigarh but the MoEF decision has put it in the backburner too.

Chhoriagad U.P. School Celebrates its Century

2011-12-06T13:53:00.000+05:30

Thanks to Sri Debendra Bisi for sharing this.

Former Odisha Minister Kiran Chandra Singh Deo Dead

2011-12-04T19:10:00.002+05:30

Outlook, Dec 4, 2011
Senior BJD leader and former Odisha minister Kiran Chandra Singh Deo died following a heart attack at Purulia in West Bengal, family sources said here today.

Singh Deo (81), who had gone to Purlia to attend a wedding was rushed to the hospital following heart attack and and doctors declared him dead yesterday, they said.

He is survived by three sons and two daughters.

Singh Deo represented Kesinga assembly segment in Kalahandi district from 1990-95 as a Janata Dal candidate and was minister of state for Works, Housing and Urban Development in Biju Patnaik cabinet.

Three Odia activists bag national award

2011-12-04T02:02:00.002+05:30

orissadiary.com, Oct 2, 2011
Bhubaneswar: Roshnara Mohanty of Seba Jagat and Tulashi Ballav Dash an SHG promoter in tribal areas of western Odisha were awarded the sixth annual Karmaveer Puraskaar while Banita Malik an activist of Kalahandi was awarded Karmaveer Chakra by the People Sector on the occasion of National Social Justice and Citizen Action Day on November 26.
They were felicitated for their social commitment and proactive work to bring in a positive transformation in the society.

K’handi engineering students threaten class boycott

2011-12-04T01:57:00.000+05:30

The Pioneer, Oct 3, 2011
The students of the Government College of Engineering, Kalahandi on Friday threatened to boycott classes indefinitely if their demands are not met by the Government.
The students told reporters here that the college has no laboratory even as they are going to enter the third semester this year. After a year, they will pass out from the college without any practical experience, they alleged.
The students also alleged that the college gets `29.72 lakh every year towards the fees from 743 students, but it has failed to provide books in the library for 3rd year students.
It was also alleged that the college started without hostel facility, and now even after two years only the foundations of a hostel building has been laid.
Owing to the adverse condition after their admission in the college, 15 students have already taken TC from the college, they pointed out.

The students said violating the AICTE guidelines, BTech pass-out faculties have been appointed in the college instead of minimum pass-out of MTech to teach the engineering students.

Railways to give Rs2345 cr for pending projects

2011-12-03T18:12:00.000+05:30

Constructionweekonline, Oct 1, 2011
Odisha has demanded allocation of Rs 2345 crore in coming railway budget to expedite completion of various ongoing projects in the state.

The demand was put forth by members of the House Committee of Odisha Legislative Assembly on Railways along with a memorandum during their meeting with Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi.

Contending that the state has always been ‘deprived’ of its due share despite contributing Rs7,500 crore to Railways, the members said their demand was prudent to ensure rail connectivity to backward and interior regions of the state.

"There are seven districts which are yet to be brought under the railway network," state Finance Minister Prafulla Ghadai said.

He said construction work of six projects, which are vital for the state, and gauge conversion work was still pending due to paucity of funds. He said Railways should also consider setting up of coach manufacturing units in Kalahandi and Ganjam. Ghadai said that during their interaction, Trivedi assured them to visit the state soon. The memorandum listed a host of other demands which include new passenger services and addition of pantry cars in important trains.

Unidentified diseases render K’handi villagers disabled

2011-12-01T20:49:00.000+05:30

The Pioneer, Dec 1, 2011
Even as unidentified diseases make inhabitants disabled in Chahaka village of Golamunda block in Kalahandi, the district administration is yet to take the necessary steps to provide the much needed treatment. At present, there are around 30 persons suffering from various kinds of disability, where as the village has a population of 600.

Sources said the village is electrified, has four tube wells and a school but the residents are still unaware of the reason that creates disability among the inhabitants for last 25 years. Though the implementation of several State and Central schemes have been quite successful in the village but communication and health problems are still not taken care of by the authorities.

Reports said that people of all age groups, from kids, young boys and girls to old men and women, in the village are victims of various kinds of disabilities. The kids suffer from dumbness, blindness, deafness and complete disability before birth or after two to five years of birth.

The village is situated 40 km from Bhawanipatna and commuters cross the Tel river through a country boat after loading bikes, cycles, and luggage on it from Pandigaon ghat.

Golamunda Zilla Parishad member Samanta Khamari said he had brought the matter before many Zilla Parishad meetings at Bhawanipatna but the administration did not take steps to know the exact reason of the disability.

“A doctor has been appointed in the primary health centre at Uchhala GP which covers the residents of five GPs including Chahaka village.

But the doctor remains absent most of the time and hence, the patients are not able to get proper treatment. They have to cross the Tel river to reach Bhawanipatna hospital,” Khamari lamented.

Kesab Pujhari, a disabled youth, said,” My parents say I was healthy when I was two years’ old but after that, I became disabled.”

When asked whether polio vaccine had been given, Pujhari said: “Exactly I can’t say but you will find so many disabled persons in Chahaka village, with same problem.”

Durbal Patel, another villager, said,” I was able to walk up to the age of five years, but afterwards, I became disabled. In our village, around 25 men and women have been affected by disability.”

A 10-year-old girl’s mother said she has been disabled since her birth. She was given polio vaccine, but to no avail. A doctor said she had been suffering from polio and could not be treated anymore, she rued.

Another polio patient said,” Since childhood I have been disabled but I have not been provided tricycle though I get pension of `200.”

Daitari, a villager said, “Generally, we cross the Tel river for health check up either at a Bhawanipatna hospital or at PHC at Uchhala Gram Panchayat. During flood, patients can not cross the river and die when they become serious.” Bhupi said during election hours, leaders visit the people and after that they forget their woes. Dinesh Bag said his villagers have to undergo many difficulties due to the communication problem posed by the Telriver. He said a bridge over the river is the need of the hour.

ADMO Ashok Kumar Mund said a medical team will be sent and after receiving the report, he will confirm the reason behind the disability.

District Collector of Kalahandi told The Pioneer he will look into the matter after sending an enquiry team to the village.

Traders employ delay tactics

2011-12-01T20:36:00.000+05:30

IBNlive, Nov 30, 2011
BHAWANIPATNA: Procurement of cotton in the market yards in Kalahandi has been little or nothing with most traders restricting themselves to window shopping. With the non-intervention of Cotton Corporation of India and the delaying tactics of traders, the farmers are at the end of their tether. They are demanding better price for their produce.

The district administration had decided to operate regular market yards, twice a week, at Karlapada and Utkela and fortnightly at Uchla and Biswanathpur. Temporary yards would be opened at Koten, Panimunda and Godipata, as need be.

Though the procurement process in the market yards at Karlapada and Utkella began as per schedule, the business is yet to pick up.

At Karlapada, only 139 quintals of seed cotton were sold on the first day at the rate of ` 3,910 per quintal, while at Utkella 146 quintals were sold at ` 3,850 on the second day and 140 quintals at ` 3,780, on the third day.

With traders playing the wait and watch game, farmers too are cautious and avoiding the yards. The farmers are also not happy with the prices being offered.

A field functionary of the Agriculture Department said the traders are employing demotivating tactics on farmers with the latter skipping the market yards. Once cotton piles up, the traders would be able to dictate terms and purchase the produce at a lower price at the village-level, he added.

This despite the fact that the staple length and strength of Kalahandi cotton are more than the standard set for the minimum support price. Considered as one of the best in the country, the staple cotton here is 33 MM against the stipulated length of 29.5 MM.

Lack of services like mechanical sample analysis and means to measure staple length and strength of seed cotton has proved detrimental to farmers. The regulated market committees (RMC) get 1 per cent in every deal and its last year’s earning from cotton trading was ` 40 lakh. Cotton was this year grown in a record area of 34,315 hectares with the harvest stretching of 4 lakh quintal. While the farmers are expecting more than ` 6,000 per quintal, the highest price offered last year, their fate hangs on market forces.

Odisha: Vedanta Foundation Organizes Healthy Baby Competition at Bhawanipatna

2011-12-01T20:34:00.002+05:30

Orissadiary. Nov 30, 2011
Report by OrissaDiary.com correspondent; Bhawanipatna: Healthy children are necessary for a health society, keeping this in mind, Vedanta Foundation on November 29, 2011 organized a Health baby Competition at Bhawanipatna where 60 babies of seven months to one years of age participated. Rupa Nayak - an 11-month baby won the first prize while Premjot Singh and Swastika Panda bagged second and third prize respectively.

Chief Guest on the occasion, Saudamini Das – DSWO, Kalahandi, attended the function and advised the mothers to take care of their babies and gave some valuable tips to keep the babies healthy. Dr. Sabita Swain – Chief Medical officer, Vedanta Hospital, Lanjigarh gave some valuable tips to minimize the child death rate. Other guests present on the occasion were: Banabasini Biswal – Programme Officer - ICDS, Kalahandi; Dr. Bijaya Kumar Kampa and members of Vedanta Balchetna Anganwadi Project (VBCAP).

Apart from the top three healthy babies, three other prizes were distributed where prize for Healthy Skin went to Adyasha Padhee; Prize for Beautiful Eye went to Pratikhya Mahakud and Prize for Cute Smile went to Bikash Ranjan Pradhan.

Balakrushna Rath, project head – VBCAP, spearheaded the programme while Gaurab Parida – district head, was instrumental in organizing the programme.

RTI: Catalyst of change in tribals’ lives in Odisha

2011-11-30T12:36:00.000+05:30

Shared by Sri Dillip Kumar Das
The Pioneer, Nov 29, 2011

Despite several drawbacks and problems in operational procedures, Right to Information (RTI) Act has been the savior for thousands of people.

People, especially in most backward and tribal dominated areas of the State, are increasingly using the legal weapon to get benefits from the development projects. Apart from initial hiccups, RTI has become a blessing in disguise for them, thanks to the efforts of volunteers and RTI activists, who have made it possible.

Thuamul Rampur block is surrounded by inaccessible terrain and forest and is mostly inhibited by Kondh tribes. Most of the tribals do not have lands and depend on shifting cultivation and forest produce for subsistence. The area is dreaded for malaria and basic health and education services are lacking.

Fifty eight per cent of the population of Thuamul Rampur block are tribals, 67 per cent are landless and 89 per cent belong to below poverty line (BPL), 63 per cent face food stress for a period of six to seven months a year and 77 per cent of the children (0-5 year’s age group) are malnourished, according to a survey done by Antodaya. Most of the villages lack drinking water facilities besides other basic amenities.

One third of States’ population depends on Minor Forest Produces (MFP) which provides food security to forest dwellers for 4 to 6 months in a year. They also account for 20 to 50 per cent of their annual income. 29, 302 out of 46,989 villages in Odisha have forest as land use. The State has 1,779,953 hectares (31 per cent) of forest area with a forest dependent population of 15,934,768.

Kalahandi district is a tribal dominated area where the majority of the population is below the poverty line. Kalahandi is regarded as one of the most vulnerable districts in India for food insecurity, starvation deaths, drought etc. The drought prone district has two distinct features. The plain areas, which although are very fertile, are prone to regular drought due to erratic monsoon coupled with long dry spells. The hilly areas mostly inhibited by Kondh tribals with marginal or no land holdings are exposed to regular shortages of food.

Towards new dawn Duku Majhi is a proud person today. He had never imagined seeing blooming and sparkling lights inside and outside his home. After a long persuasion and battle, a solar panel has been installed in his house in Bejiguda hamlet under Karlapat gram panchayat in Thuamul Rampur block in Kalahandi.

For the 45-year-old Duku, it was a long overdue. The tribal head, who manages his four-member family, including two children, by collecting minor forest produces and with occasional farming in his two acres of forest land, has a lot of hope now.

“I am happy to see that my son Jogeswar, who has just entered Class 10th, will be able to read in the night and will secure more marks in exam. I am also confident that my daughter who had left the study may rejoin the school to pursue higher education,” feels Duku.

It became possible through the intervention of volunteers of Karlapat Land and RTI Clinic set under Access to Justice Project for marginalised people project, a joint initiative of Antodaya and UNDP in collaboration with the Government of India.

RTI volunteers extended helping hand to Duku, who was fighting a lone battle to get electric connection to his village. When Duku filed an RTI application with District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) to know why 47 families were provided electric connection of the total 98 households in the village, within 15 days, the remaining 47 households were provided with electricity through installation of solar panels.

Sakhi Majhi of the village said, “For quite sometime, we were running from pillar to post to get power supply, but it was out of the reach for us. The Government officials simply ignored us.”

Bejiguda is a small and sleepy village situated in the foothills of Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary in the Eastern Ghat. The village is inaccessible which can be approached through the sanctuary area.

Tribal inhabitants here have restricted living area for the fear of wild animals. Development has been a far cry for them. School-going children have to travel miles to reach the classroom. But, constant supply of electricity through solar panel has brought cheers and a ray of hope in the life of the villagers.

Road to freedom
The long wait of Naran Majhi finally comes to an end. He has got forest land patta jointly in his and his wife’s name. Till today, he was branded as an encroacher in his own land on which three generations of his family survived.

Naran is among 34 others of his village, who have been provided with land patta by the district administration. Naran alone has got the land of 2.60 decimals on March 2010, traditionally and inherently held by his family.

Out of total 45 households in his village, 43 families had applied to regularise forest land held under their possession in their favour.After due verifications and survey, the Sub Divisional Forest Rights Committee had recommended 34 applications.

“Our village is very old. We eke out a living from forest land and resources. Only when Antodaya people came to convince us to stake claim, we had applied for patta,” said Naran.

District Welfare Officer Seikh Mazeed said, “In Kalahandi district, we have regularised 21,106.76 acres of forest land in favour of 8,191 tribal families and vested community right in 155 cases.”

Till date 2, 93,901 beneficiaries have been distributed with individual titles in recognition of their rights. Out of them, only 58,724 right holders have been covered under various Government schemes.

Mazeed also expressed satisfaction over implementation of the ‘Access to Justice Project’.

Good Samaritan
Upendra Nayak (27), a high school drop-out, is now being invited to attend gram sabhas, panchayat and samiti meetings like any other sarpanch, samiti member or ward member.

Upendra was trained as an RTI volunteer along with other 15 youth of his locality during 2008 and subsequently he was attached to the RTI and land clinic set up there in Kanigumma by Antodaya, a voluntary organisation with the assistance from UNDP and Government of India.

Upendra has filed more than 10 RTI related queries to know about the real implementation of the Government sponsored schemes and programmes on progress of emergency feeding for children, Madhubabu Pension, MGNREGS, implementation of Forest Right Act, PDS, primary education and Jana Swasthy Yojana, etc. He could manage to get information on all of his queries and took necessary action on its implementation in consultation with villagers and Government officials.

On his efforts, Public Distribution System was regularised in 33 adjoining villages of his locality, besides restoration of emergency feeding for children through Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) in the villages of Karaga, Dhuliguda and Anthaguda.

Not only these, people especially Adivasi beneficiaries of Kanigumma appreciated the initiatives of Upendra, when they got their MGNREGS payments through the gram panchayat which got delayed by officials and engineers.

Apart from these, Upendra is now tracking the missing files of 22 poor Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) beneficiaries through the use of RTI Act who have been cheated by corrupt officials.

“Through my interventions, people’s inspection registers have been opened in many Government offices. Officials are now making disclosures and are exhibiting in their notice boards. Even they are now sending information through posts and letters which were asked through RTI applications etc,” informed Upendra.

He further added, “Through my experience I came to know that RTI is a weapon at the hands of poor and marginalised people to stake their claim in governance and development”.

“Experiences of using RTI shows first they will ignore and misbehave you, then they will try to dissuade, discourage and harass the applicants and finally when they will come to know that you are committed and determined for the cause, they will bow down,” said Chitta Behera, an eminent policy analyst with Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhiyan, who has trained the RTI volunteers of access to justice project.

The writer is a senior freelance journalist

Drought-hit farmers block NH in K’handi

2011-11-30T12:32:00.000+05:30

The Pioneer, Nov 30, 2011
Demanding that their areas be declared 100 per cent drought-hit, farmers of six gram panchayats on Tuesday blocked the NH-201 at Kutrukhamar in Sadar block of Bhawanipatna, due to which commuters were stranded for hours.

The small and marginal farmers of Kuliamaal, Kalam, Gandjhola, Kutrukhamar, Malgaon and Risigaon sat on dharna on the road asserting that above 50 per cent of crops have been lost in the Kharif season. They threatened to an indefinite sit-in strike if the State Government does not declare cent per cent drought within 15 days.

Commuters from Bhawanipatna to Junagarh including students of the Sardar Rajas Medical College, schoolteachers and Government staff could not reach their destinations due to the road blockade.

After submitting a memorandum to the local BDO which was addressed to the State’s Governor, the farmers withdrew the strike. The memorandum demanded waiver of farm loans, provision of loans without interest for the next Kharif crop, immediate implementation of the Indravati Right Canal project, exemption of fees of school and college students, supply pf rice at Rs 2/kg to the APL families and provision of 10 tube-wells in each GP.

Low quality rice for midday meal program!!

2011-11-30T12:26:00.000+05:30

Shared by Sri Dillip Kumar Das

Paddy procurement delayed, Millers to be tagged

2011-11-29T19:58:00.002+05:30

IBNlive, Nov 29, 2011
BHAWANIPATNA: It’s� all confusion for farmers here. Paddy procurement in the district is yet to pick up even after four days of starting on November 25 while the administration is� still undecided on� whether to open the mandis or tag custom millers to the respective purchasing centres.

The administration had decided to open 67 paddy purchasing centres and 16 sub- centres, but only 5 purchasing centres have so far been opened in Kalampur block.� Here too, the work has been limited to registration of farmers and issue of tokens. The sub-divisional officers of Bhawanipatna and Dharamgarh sub-divisions have been directed to open purchasing centres as per the need in phases.

On the other hand, rice mills are yet to be tagged to any of the purchasing centres for lifting paddy. Out of 115 mills in the district, last year 94 participated in the procurement process but only 55 could complete 100 per cent delivery of rice.

This year, only 78 mills, which could deliver 90 to 100 per cent rice, have qualified. However, despite the Government’s directive no millers have turned up to sign the agreement.

This, many suspect, is a pressure tactic by the millers to include all mills which would bring down the percentage of rice they would have to return to the Government. For one quintal of paddy, the millers have to return 68 kg of boiled rice and 67 kg in case of raw rice.

Amidst confusion, reports of distress sale and exploitation of farmers by middlemen and millers are trickling in from various parts of the district.

Meanwhile, the Collector has directed all field functionaries and nodal officers to keep vigil to prevent distress sale.

Positive Initiative: RTI used by Tribal to Change his Village

2011-11-29T19:48:00.000+05:30

Shared by Sri Dillip Kumar Das

NROs fight for railway connectivity to Kalahandi

2011-11-24T13:51:00.000+05:30

The Pioneer, Nov 24, 2011
While political leaders cutting across party lines have failed to impress upon the Ministry of Railways to provide connectivity from Bhawanipatna, the district headquarters of Kalahandi, two non-resident Odias (NROs) from the district have taken up the issue with the Centre for providing such facility.

Digambara Patra and Madhusmita Panda have urged the Union Minister Railways to start train service from Bhawanipatna as the railway line connecting Lanjigarh Road to Bhawanipatna has already been completed for the past one year. No train is operating from Bhawanipatna to connect major towns in Odisha and rest of the country, they have pointed out.

The process is unfortunately lingering due to negligence by the railway authorities, they rue. Therefore, they have requested Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi to ask the concerned authorities to operate trains from Bhawanipatna by January 26 next to cities like Bhubaneswar, Raipur and Visakhapatnam and extend the Howrah-Titilagarh Ispat Express to Bhawanipatna.

Dr Patra and Panda have also urged Dr Trivedi to provide `100 crore in the Railway Budget 2011-12 to for a Kantabanji-Jeypore line, which is considered as heart line connecting Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Koraput districts of the KBK region and take up extension work of the Junagarh-Amaguada line immediately.

Similarly, a survey for Bhilai-Rajim-Debhog-Dharamgarh-Junagarh, Lanjigarh Road-Gopalpur and Bhawanipatna-Kesinga railway lines should be given importance for infrastructure development in this Maoist-prone backward region, they have argued.

It is also important to speed up the progress of the under-survey Lanjigarh Road-Phulbani-Talcher line connecting Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Titilagarh (Balangir district), Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts with Bhubaneswar by joining with the Khurda-Balangir line near Puruna Cuttack (or Charichouk), they have pointed out.

This would not only bring a first-time railway network to Kandhamal district, it would also make large parts of the inaccessible KBK and Kandhamal regions accessible from the State capital directly and help counter the Maoist activities in the regions.

Besides, the rail line would facilitate alumina and coal transportation for Nalco from its refinery at Damanjodi to its smelter at Angul by reducing a distance about 100 km, Dr Patra and Panda further pointed out.

Kalahandia bats for connectivity
Tathya.in, Bhawanipatna : 23/November/2011

While political leaders cutting across party line have failed to impress upon the Union Ministry of Railways to provide connectivity from the district headquarters of Kalahandi, a determined Kalahandia has taken up the issue with the Centre for providing such facilities.
Digambara Patra, a leading NRO, who has always bats for the cause of Kalahandi has urged the Union Minister Railways to start train service from Bhawanipatna as the railway line connecting Lanjigarh road to Bhawanipatna has already been completed for the past one year.

However, no train is operating from Bhawanipatna to connect with major towns in Odisha and rest of the country.

Unfortunately the process is lingering due to serious negligence by East Coast Railway Zone, rue Dr.Patra.

Therefore he has requested Dinesh Trivedi to ask the authorities to operate trains from Bhawanipatna by Jan 26, 2012 to towns like Bhubaneswar, Raipur, Visakhapatnam, etc and extend Howrah-Titilagarh Ispat express to Bhawanipatna.

He has also urged Dr.Trivedi that in the Railway Budget 2011-12, to make arrangement of Rs.100 crore for Kantabanji – Jeypore line considered as heart line connecting Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Koraput districtsof KBK and take up extension work of Junagarh-Amaguada line immediately.

Similarly survey for Bhilai - Rajim - Debhog - Dharamgarh – Junagarh, Lanjigarh road-Gopalpur, Bhawanipatna-Kesinga railway lines should be given importance for the infrastructure development in this Maoist prone backward region.

It is also important to speed up the progress of under survey Lanjigarh road - Phulbani – Talcher line connecting Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Titilagarh (Balangir dist), Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts with Bhubaneswar by joining with Khurda-Balangir line near Puruna Cuttack (or Charichok).

This will not only bring first time railway network to Kandhamal district but also make accessible to large part of inaccessible KBK and Kandhamal region from the state capital directly and help in countering Maoist activities in the region.

Beside that this the rail line will facilitate alumina/coal transportation for NALCO from its refinery in Damajodi to its Smelter in Angul by reducing distance about 100 km, said Dr.Patra.

Operating train from Bhawanipatna

2011-11-23T00:42:00.001+05:30

To

Honorable Railway Minister Sri Trivedi,

CC
Honorable President of India, Smt Patil
Honorable Prime Minister of India, Dr Singh
Honorable Chief Minister, Mr Patnaik

Dear Honorable Sri Trivedi,
The railway line connecting Lanjigarh road till Bhawanipatna has been completed in the past year. However, no train is operating from Bhawanipatna to connect with major towns in Odisha and rest of the country. Unfortunately the process is lingering due to serious negligience by east coast railway zone. Backwardness and social issues of Kalahandi are mainly due to poor infrastructure where railway could play vital role. The chairman of railway expert committee constituted by the Hon’ble Railway Minister of India advises the Railway Ministry on innovative financing and implementation of the economically unviable but socially desired projects.

Therefore we request you to operate train from Bhawanipatna by Jan 26, 2012 to cities like Bhubaneswar, Raipur, Visakhapatnam, etc and extend Howraw-Titilagarh Ispat express to Bhawanipatna.

I also urge you that in the budget 2011-12, kindly approve 100 crore for Kantabanji – Jeypore line considered as heart line connecting Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Koraput districts and take extension of Junagarh-Amaguada line immediately.

Similarly survey for Bhilai - Rajim - Debhog - Dharamgarh – Junagarh, Lanjigarh road-Gopalpur, Bhawanipatna-Kesinga railway lines should be given importance for the infrastructure development in this maoist and backward region.

It is also important to speed up the progress of under survey Lanjigarh road - Phulbani – Talcher line connecting Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Titilagarh (Balangir dist), Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts with Bhubaneswar by joining with Khurda-Balangir line near Puruna Cuttack (or Charichok). This will not only bring first time railway network to Kandhamal district but also make accessible to large part of inaccessible KBK and Kandhamal region from the state capital directly and help in coutering maoist activities in the region. Beside that this line will facilitate alumina/coal transportation for NALCO from its refinery in Damajodi to its Smelter in Angul by reducing distance about 100 km.

Anticipating your positive responce in these matters

Thanking you and best regards

Sincerely
Digambara Patra

Dream of Hati river bridge near Junagarh getting unfulfilled?

2011-11-21T14:36:00.001+05:30

Shared by Sri Debendra Bisi
Sambad, Nov 21, 2011

Inspiring Initiative: 1200 blankets collected from people and distributed in 40 tribal villages of Thuamul Rampur

2011-11-20T13:28:00.000+05:30

Shared by Yashodhara Mishra

Dear all,

It is a great satisfaction to know that some young volunteers are working for the poor people living in remote zones of Kalahandi, where there are no motorable roads and one needs to walk up to 8 to 10 kms to reach some villages. Some 1200 blankets were collected from people to be distributed in 40 tribal villages of Thuamul Rampur.These photos are sent with the hope that they may inspire more such seva work from those who can afford to take out some time and efforts from their own personal resources. Every drop of rain helps improve the stagnant water of a pond.

All the best !

yashodhara mishra

Odisha: Children’s Day celebrated at Niyamgiri Vedanta Nagar

2011-11-16T13:12:00.000+05:30

Orissadiary, Nov 16, 2011
Report by OrissaDiary.com correspondent; Niyamgiri: Vedanta Foundation celebrated Children’s Day in a grand way at its R&R Colony, Niyamgiri Vedanta Nagar, in Lanjigarh (Odisha) on November 14, 2011. The program was inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Collector of Kalahandi Mr. Dukhishyam Satapathy in presence of Mrs. S Chamundi, India head of Vedanta Bal Chetna Anganwadi Project (VBCAP) , Dr. Mukesh Kumar, President – Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL), and Sanjay Pattnaik - Vice President (HR-VAL).

Applauding Vedanta’s initiatives to support the Government-run Anganwadi project Mr. Satpathy opined that other organizations also should come forward to support these kinds of projects. He, along with other guests, distributed 1250 uniforms to children of 36 Child Care Centres, run by Vedanta Foundation and 12000 pairs of foot wear to 400 Anganwadi Centres of Kalahandi district.

Among other dignitaries present were – Niharika Sahu, Head-CSR (VAL); Srimati Majhi – Chairman, Lanjigarh Block and Prabir Kumar Nayak, Block Development Officer, Lanjigarh.

Mrs. Chamundi, said, “We hope to cover all the Anganwadi Centres of Kalahandi District. Vedanta Group Chairman Mr. Anil Agrawal’s vision is to reduce the death rate of children caused due to mal-nutrition. We have tied up with Anganwadi Centres to provide nutritious food to children below five years under Vedanta Bal Chetna Anganwadi Project of Vedanta Foundation.”

Dr. Mukesh Kumar, President – Vedanta Aluminium Limited, Lanjigarh , said, “Vedanta Bal Chetna Anganwadi project is a special programme of the government. However, Vedanta is supplementing the government’s efforts by providing additional nutritious food.”

The programme was concluded with an exhibition where demonstration was given on how pre-school education through activity based learning can result in the holistic development of a child.

Vedanta Balchetna Anganwadi Project (VBCAP) & Child Care Centres are the signature projects of Vedanta Group being run across India since the year 2000. Specially, VBCAP is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode where Vedanta Foundation provided nutritious food to the govt. run Anganwadi centers.\

BPL survey takes off in seven districts

2011-11-16T13:10:00.002+05:30

Business Standard, Nov 15, 2011
The survey for enumeration of families living below poverty line (BPL) in the state took off today in seven districts- Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Bolangir, Gajapati, Kalahandi and Kandhamal. The fresh BPL survey started after a long gap of 14 years.
Enumerators started the survey work carrying tablet PCs (personal computers). The latest BPL survey has kindled hope among the families that were excluded in the previous list. Earlier, the state government had decided to begin the survey work on September 15 and complete the process in 45 days.

No decision yet on irrigation water

2011-11-15T01:17:00.000+05:30

IBNlive, Nov 14, 2011
BHAWANIPATNA: Already struggling due to scanty rainfall, Kalahandi farmers are likely to face another setback if the lift irrigation and Agriculture Department officials do not finalise strategy for providing irrigation water.

The rabi season has already started and last week a strategy was hammered out. A target to cover 1,78,139 hectares for rabi crop was tentatively fixed. This is� against the rabi coverage of 2,23,948 ha last year, a shortfall of 45,809 ha. This, sources said, is mainly due to reduction of irrigated areas caused by water scarcity in the irrigation projects.

Most of the irrigation projects, including Indravati, are not in a position to cater to the needs of rabi crops, the Deputy Director Agriculture, Kalahandi, Amereswar Mishra said.

For the current rabi season, Indravati irrigation project has offered to provide water for only 8,450 ha against 54,000 ha last year. Similarly, Utei medium irrigation project (MIP) proposed to provide irrigation water to only 190 ha against last year’s 404 ha.

This exposes the poor state of affairs of MIPs. There are 77 MIPs under the Minor Irrigation Department but the department has offered to provide rabi water for only 1,380 ha through 20 MIPs. It is because pondage areas of most of the MIPs are not full and a controversy is raging over the capability of LI projects of the district, while preparing the rabi strategy.

LI department claimed to provide irrigation to 10,000 ha through 564 Government and 41 private irrigation points. However, this was disputed by the Agriculture Department against the background of field realities complaining that most of these points in the present scenario lack required water sources. After a debate in the rabi strategy meeting, this target was reduced to 6,972 ha by the LI department.

Collector Dukhisham�� had asked for a joint verification by the LI officials and the Agriculture Department to finalise the target. But ironically this joint verification is yet to come forth.

Colourful start to Balijatra

2011-11-12T01:34:00.000+05:30

IBNlive, Nov 11, 2011
CUTTACK: Bigger and more spectacular this year, the historic Balijatra kicked off in the midst of huge turnout of visitors here on Thursday. The fair, featuring over 1,300 stalls across three grounds at Killa Maidan and the main fair ground on the Mahanadi river bed, was inaugurated by Revenue Minister Surya Narayan Patro.

�The major attraction this year is billed to be the National-level Pallishree Mela, which has brought together textiles and handlooms from all parts of the country under one platform. With the ethnic textiles and handlooms of Orissa, weavers groups from about 25 states have taken part in the exhibition organised by ORMAS in association with KVIC, Department of Textiles, Directorate of Handicrafts and Cottage Industries and Nabard.

�The expo, organised to provide exposure to SHG groups and traditional artisans, has over 307 stalls this year. It is also showcasing leather items from Punjab, Rajasthan and UP, wooden craft and furniture from Kalahandi along with Andhra Pradesh and UP, famous carpets of UP, dry flowers of North East, Sandalwood craft and products from Mysore in Karnataka.

� Besides, a special pavilion has been set up to promote and popularise jute products.� From bags, shoes, upholstery, furniture items, rugs, sheets, curtains and other decorative items, the widest variety of jute products have been put on display.

�“We are promoting jute not only as an alternative to the harmful polythene but also a very durable, decorative and upmarket product for the fashionable and discernible sections,” Chief Executive of ORMAS, Cuttack, Bipin Behari Rout said.

� The fair also encompasses the Gandhi Shilpa Bazaar on handicraft items with about 150 stalls and the much sought after silver Filigree Pavilion to promote the traditional silver filigree works of Cuttack city.

�The amusement section also has added new items to entice and entertain the children this year. The fair is expected to draw more than 3 lakh visitors a day with business transactions running into crores.

�The official website www.baliyatracuttack.com was also launched on the occasion.

�Among others, Information and Public Relations Minister Prafulla Samal, Cuttack MLA Debasish Samantray and Collector Girish SN were present at the inauguration.

Ministry of culture grants Rs. 3.01 crore to Shree Ramakrishna Ashrama (Kalahandi)

2011-11-12T01:31:00.000+05:30

Ministry of culture to launch Cultural Heritage Young Leadership Programme
PIB, Nov 11, 2011
Swami Vivekananda

The 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda is being commemorated under the directions of a National Committee headed by Hon’ble Prime Minister and National Implementation Committee chaired by Hon’ble Finance Minister.

An amount of Rs. 100 crores has been sanctioned for the Vivekananda Value Education Programme to R K Mission, Belur Math. Apart from this commemoration related proposal from various organizations are being supported by this Ministry through financial assistance. A proposal for establishment of “Swami Vivekananda Indian Ministry of Culture Chair” in University of Chicago, USA by grant of an endowment is also under advanced stage of sanction.

Other approved proposals which have been approved include production of a film on Swami Vivekananda at an estimated cost of Rs. 70 lakhs by Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT), renovation of 4 historical monuments by ASI at an estimated cost of Rs. 12.42 crore, upgradation of Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama (Vrindaban) hospital at an estimated cost of Rs. 2.70 crore, grant to Shree Ramakrishna Ashrama (Kalahandi) for carrying out various commemorative activities and for addition to their existing building with an estimated expenditure of Rs. 3.01 crore, grant to Ramakrishna Vivekananda Mission, Barrackpore for construction of an auditorium with an estimated expenditure of Rs. 1.36 crore, grant to Government of Assam for undertaking commemorative activities with an estimated expenditure of Rs. 53.19 lakhs.

In addition, many proposals are under active consideration. Few notable of them are - construction of Swami Vivekananda Cardiac Care and Diagnostic Centre at an estimated cost of approx. Rs. 20.21 crores by Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratisthan (Kolkata), grant to R.K. Mission Institute of Culture (Kolkata) for taking up various commemorative programmes at an estimated cost of approx. Rs. 6.17 crores, grant to R.K. Vivekananda Smiriti Mandir (Khetri) for conservation of their building at an estimated cost of approx. Rs. 0.73 crores, grant for the renovation of Metropolitan Institution (Kolkata), a school, where Swami Vivekananda is stated to have studies at an estimates cost of approx. Rs. 1.10 crores.

Funds unutilised, projects hang fire

2011-11-09T19:37:00.000+05:30

IBNlive, Nov 9, 2011
BHAWANIPATNA: The State Government had launched the Biju KBK Yojana in 2006-07 after the Centre allegedly slashed funds under the Revised Long Term Action Plan (RLTAP) for most backward KBK region, comprising eight districts.

The scheme is aimed at providing financial assistance to the construction of office buildings of SHGs and anganwadi centres,� construction of girls hostels, bridge and culverts.

�However, with non-utilisation of funds sanctioned under the scheme, lack of proper monitoring and non-submission of utilisation certificates in time by the implementing agencies, development works are being delayed.

From 2006-07 to 2010-11, ` 81 crore has been allotted to the district. But with estimates of most of the projects not prepared by the implementing agencies, only ` 62.45 crore have been released to the agencies of which, only ` 53.38 crore was spent till date. Worse, utilisation certificates of only ` 33 crore have been submitted by the agencies as a result of which, the remaining funds have not been released yet. Due to these reasons, most of the works are either pending or yet to be grounded. During these five years, 1,111 works should have been undertaken under the Biju KBK scheme of which, only 137 works taken up and these too are lying incomplete.

�Sources said under the scheme, an amount of ` 1.50 crore each has been earmarked to all the blocks of the district. Out of that ` 50 lakh for each block is to be incurred by the district administration. The project proposals will be approved by the district administration. The remaining ` 1 crore will be spent by the government and projects will be approved as per the recommendation of the MPs and MLAs. It is alleged that in most cases works are being delayed due to political interference.

�There are also cases where implementing agencies are refusing to take up works on the pretext of lack of adequate manpower.

For instance, RWSS refused to take up rural piped water supply projects in Golamunda, Koksara, Karlamunda and Thuamul-Rampur blocks for which ` 66 lakh was sanctioned, citing lack of hands.

�This apart, non-finalisation of tenders in time in many cases is resulting in the delay. Bridge construction over the river Rahul in M Rampur block has been stalled since 2007-08. While it was originally estimated to cost ` 3 crore, the expenditure at present is being worked out to ` 7 crore.

Efforts to contact officials concerned proved futile.

Bhupinder Singh lays stone for two bridges in Bhawanipatna

2011-11-08T00:33:00.000+05:30

The Pioneer, Nov 8, 2011
Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Bhupinder Singh laid the foundation-stones for construction of a high-level bridge over rivers Sandul and Rahul at two different places on Sunday.

The proposed bridge over Sandul costing Rs 389 lakh would connect the road from Balipada to Rupra and Kesinga under Narla block and the one over Rahul costing around Rs 6 crore would join the commuters of at least seven gram panchayats under Madanpur-Rampur block.

The construction works are expected to be completed within a year. Thousands of villagers congregated at the riverside to welcome Singh as their dreams were going to be accomplished. Singh was accompanied by Congress leader and Coordinator of party SC Cell Devi Prasad Sindoor.

Talking to the media, Singh admitted that construction of the bridges have been delayed due to lack of willpower of the construction agency. “But now, I assure you that the works will be expedited as sufficient funds are available with us.”

When asked about the reason of delay in opening of Mandis in Kalahandi district, Singh flayed the State Government, saying the Government has been totally ignoring the farmers’ interests and only focusing on the industrial sector. He added that distress seal of paddy has already begun in the district with the farmers selling their produce at Rs 680-750 per quintal whereas they should get the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 1,080. The State Government is fully responsible for the situation, he alleged.

BJD members met Odisha's Commerce and Transport Secretary

2011-11-07T15:16:00.001+05:30

Sambad, Nov 7, 2011

Orissa: Ghumura fest inaugurated

2011-11-03T12:37:00.000+05:30

Orissadiary, Nov 3, 2011
Bhawanipatna: The Kalahandi Pratistha Diwas and Kalahandi Utsav Ghumura 2012 was inaugurated here at the Town Hall here on Wednesday.

Organised by the District Cultural Council, a mashal yatra began on Monday from the Randomajhi Smrutipitha of Urladani, Manikeswari Shaktipitha of Thuamul-Rampur, Budharaja of Ampani, Maa Bhandar Ghareni of Dharmagarh, Saivapitha of Sapsilet and Saivapitha of Belkhandi to Bhawanipatna, where the citizens of Kalahandi district welcomed them at different Chowks before the procession was taken out across the town.

Later, district collector Dukhishyam Satpathy inaugurated the Kalahandi Utsav Ghumura 2012.

A logo on Ghumura 2012 was also unveiled.

Among others, district SP Sudha Singh, former MP Manmohan Mathur, CDMO Gunasagar Saha, ADM Ashok Kumar Nayak, sub collector Satya Narayan Das, PD DRDA Ashok Kumar Bhuyan, DPC Nruparaj Sahoo, Jagannath Mund, Durga Prasad Mishra and Jayanta Kumar Behera were present during the inaugural ceremony.

Orissa: District-wise budget can tackle regional imbalances reveals CYSD Study

2011-10-31T19:28:00.000+05:30

Orissadiary, Oct 31, 2011
Bhubaneswar: A district-wise budget process is the need of hour which can eradicate regional imbalances in terms of state resource allocation and spending, said civil society think-tanks in a workshop on the District Budget for Elementary Education in Odisha conducted by one of the state’s leading NGOs, CYSD here recently.

The study covered four tribal districts namely Koraput, Kalahandi, Keonjhar and Sundargarh. It highlighted acute deficit of elementary teachers in these districts. However, the concerned funds are not spent fully.

In Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts, the SC ST development department (SSD) shared only 4 per cent to 6 per cent of the total funds utilised in elementary education.

Surprisingly, the SSD has not spent a single coin in any kind of infrastructure establishment. The size of off-budget funds flow is very high. Plan expenditure is not prioritised in the tribal districts. A study done by CYSD-OBAC in four tribal-populated districts on budgetary practice of elementary education revealed in all four districts, the school and mass education department (SME) has not spent a coin in school building, additional classroom, urinal, toilet, water supply, boundary wall construction or its repairing works.

Such expenditures were made by Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) only. As per data of 2009-10 financial year, about 24 per cent to 54 per cent schools of concerned districts don’t have students’ conveniences. In the same financial year, the SME has allocated only Rs 549 to Rs 920 per school for furniture, library, teaching aids, sports equipment.

The allocated funds of SSA for teachers’ salary head are lying unspent. Expenditures on teachers’ training are comparatively low.

Kalahandi and Keonjhar districts are poor performers in spending allocated budget on these heads.

Schools inspection is seriously neglected. A maximum Rs 400 was allocated for school inspection per month per inspector. Expenditure on girl child education is very low too.

Free text book distribution under SSA has been seriously neglected. In some cases, only Rs 18.06 was spent per student for the purpose, where as the average norm is Rs 150 for primary and Rs 250 for upper primary students.

Similarly, in financial year 2009-10, there are insignificant differences between estimated amount and actual expenditures made for Mid Day Meal (MDM) programme.

This might be the outcome of the MDM stopped in hundreds of schools due to various reasons.

Identification of land for railway wagon factory in Narla

2011-10-30T00:00:00.000+05:30

Sambad, Oct 28, 2011

Joint committe leaded by Tasildar Narla gave the sketch map of land of 70 acres near Chapata Khanda to district administration for the said wagon unit

2011-10-29T12:51:00.000+05:30

Contributed by Sri Santosh Kumar Kar
Secretary, Rail Wagon Sangram Samiti, Narla

A joint committe leaded by Tasildar Narla gave the sketch map of land of 70 acres near chapata khanda, narla to district administration for the said wagon unit.

Public Hearing on Primary Education: Good initiative by Antodaya

2011-10-28T21:36:00.002+05:30

Shared by Dillip Kumar Das

Shyama Nial and his daughter Kamalini

Manika Gadtia

Passions run high at House Panel Meet

2011-10-28T14:56:00.002+05:30

IBNlive, Oct 28, 2011
BHUBANESWAR: Charges and counter charges marked the meeting of the Assembly committee on Railways here on Thursday.

�While members of the ruling BJD blamed the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre for the poor railway network in the State, Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh said the railway projects had been languishing due to inefficiency of the State Government.

�The meeting presided by Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat expressed concern over prolonged delay in execution of railway projects. Majority of the members said the paltry allocations by the Centre is the major hurdle in the way of execution. The Opposition members, however, blamed the State Government for slow progress of land acquisition.

�Citing the example of Khurda-Balangir rail projects, the ruling party members said the Centre sanctioned the construction of 289 km of railway line in 1994-95 with an estimated cost of ` 1,000 crore. Land acquisition for the project has been completed for only 36 km towards Khurda Road.

�Laying of railway lines for the 56-km stretch from Lanjigarh to Junagarh in Kalahandi district is also facing the same problem. The project sanctioned in 1993-94 with an estimated cost of ` 142.98 crore is progressing at a snail’s pace.

�The project required 1,022.72 acres of land out of which private land of 869.89 acres and Government land of 81.97 acres have been acquired.� The construction of the project could not be taken up due to delay in conversion of 114.23 acres of forest land for non-forest activities.

�The Haridaspur-Paradip railway project is hanging fire since 1996-97 due to the same problem. The ` 1,000-crore project taken up in a public-private partnership (PPP) mode is languishing due to delay in land acquisition and other problems like selection of contractors, a member of the House committee said.

�Angul-Duburi-Sukinda-Jajpur Road is also a victim of Central negligence. The 90 km of railway project sanctioned in 1996-97 at an estimated cost of ` 638.50 crore will provide critical link to industrial hubs of Angul, Dhenkanal and Jajpur districts. The project has been delayed considerably.

�Senior officials of the East Coast Railways present at the meeting requested the House committee to set up a special land acquisition cells for different projects.

� The meeting decided to prepare a memorandum on the status of railway projects in the State within a week. The House committee will submit the memorandum to the Prime Minister sometime in the second week of November.

� Finance Minister Prafulla Ghadei, Minister of State for Commerce and Transport Sanjib Sahu, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development Sarada Nayak, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Niranjan Pujari, leader of the BJP Legislature Party KV Singhdeo, Jayanarayan Mishra, and Amar Satpathy of NCP were present.

RTI exposes political ill motivation while establishing Wagon Factory

2011-10-28T11:31:00.002+05:30

The state Govt.'s tall claims for working towards development of KBK region and upliftment of its people is proving to be futile as per the information obtained through RTI by Sanjeeb Kumar Satapathy. In the railway budget 2010-11 railway minister in Feb 2010 has proposed one of the railway Wagon Factories in Bhubaneswar or Kalahandi. Without waiting for any correspondence from the railway ministry Mr Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha immediately shot a letter to Minister of Railway on 18-03-2010 with D.O.No. UM-6/2010-116-CM to set up the railway factory in Chhatrapur of Ganjam district arguing it’s close to urban area and NH5 against the interest of railway board to establish in Kalahandi/Bhubaneswar. When local people and intellectual of Odisha raised that Odisha state Government should establish the proposed Wagon Factory in Kalahandi district, Smt Mamata Benerjee clearly also mentioned on Nov 16, 2010 in West Bengal saying one of the proposed Wagon factories would come in Kalahandi of Orissa. In response to that Chief Minister of Odisha shot another letter to Minister of Railway on 29-12-2010 with D.O.No. UM-6/2010-483-CM to set up the railway factory in Ganjam district explaining that this particular land is suitable and no suitable land is available in Kalahandi for Wagon factory NH5. RTI information also states that Orissa state Govt. has not submitted any site in Kalahandi for Wagon factory to the ministry of railway due to non availability of railway land at Kalahandi district. It is also stated in the same RTI reply that after joint verification conducted by East Coast railway (ECOR) and district administration of Ganjam, a suitable land was identified for setting up Wagon factory. It is surprising that ECOR and state Govt. of Odisha have categorically stated non availability of railway land in Kalahandi, whereas they did not emphasize the same railway land for Ganjam but stated about availability of Govt. land when hundreds of Govt. land is available within 2.5 km radius of railway stations/track in Kalahandi, the guidelines opted for Ganjam district by the Orissa Govt. and ECOR. If the railway land was the actual reason, then Kantabanji in Balangir should have been proposed by Orissa Govt. instead of Ganjam. Making the issue further complicated when the first proposal for Ganjam was sent to railway ministry in Mach 2010 by chief minister of Odisha, East coast railway authority had not performed any joint inspection along with Kalahandi district administration to find a suitable site for Wagon Factory in Kalahandi whereas same was done for Ganjam, despite railway budget 2010-11 clearly proposed to set up five state of the art Wagon factories in JV/PPP mode at Secunderabad, Barddhamanm Bhubaneswar/Kalahandi, Guwahati and Haldia, which was approved in the parliament budget session. Kalahandi has plenty of Govt. land available near to the railway track like the case of Ganjam. After receiving the letter dated on 29-12-2010 by Mr Naveen Patnaik, on 25.01.2011 railway minister wrote back to chief minister of Orissa with letter no. 2010/M(W)/964/53 that the proposed site in Ganjam would make the project financially unviable. If the land near Chhatrapur in Ganjam was initially identified based on input of railway authority as claimed by state Govt., then how the same site was rejected by railway ministry? On March 4, 2011 in the parliament railway minister Ms Banerjee had again categorically pointed if land is provided in the under developed Kalahandi Wagon Factory could be established there. The Chief Minister of Odisha wrote back on 25.3.2011 with D.O. No. UM-6/11-51/CM to the railway minister to establish the Wagon factory in Sitapali, another location in Ganjam district. When railway ministry has repeatedly favored to establish Wagon factory in backward Kalahandi in the parliament and RTI information obtained from railway board also clearly says railway has intention to establish a Wagon factory in Kalahandi, the state Govt.’s argument in favor of urban area, NH5 etc and reluctant to provide land in Kalahandi has worried intellectuals of the state and raised questions on whether Naveen Patnaik Govt. is really interested for the development of backward region except political hype.

An email to Rural Minister and Odisha Govt by Bajrang Agrawal

2011-10-25T13:41:00.004+05:30

Dear Sir,

The overhead water tanks in the townships and Rural supply and hospitals are generally made up of Cement and which in due course of time gets silted and deposits soil materials which creates a breed ground for different water borne germs. This water when supplied untreated causes a concern for different diseases. This hazard is unseen but greatly felt in shape of water borne diseases like dissentry , diorrea etc and takes lives of poor who drinks water directly without any treatment.

My proposal is that the overhead water tanks should be replaced with good qualtiy plastic tanks of any good company make, which can give a permanent solution to the general problems of water borne diseases . Also in the long run these water tanks can give good value. The water will be safe as it will not get soiled in the long run.Also it takes little to maintain the tanks.

Hence the proposal of mine may please be considered and at least some water tanks of cement should be replace with plastic one in the prone area of water borne diseases .

I shall be thankful if my proposal shall be considered.

Yours

Bajrang Agrawal
( Social Activist)
Dharamgarh : Kalahandi
orissa

Good initiatived by Odisha Chief Minister

2011-10-22T23:52:00.003+05:30

Read in: Orissadiary
Dear Honorable Chief Minister Mr Patnaik,

I would like to congratulate and thank you for your consistent demand to include Nuapada, Bargarh, Balangir and Kalahandi districts under SRE scheme, which has been finally accepted by the central Government.

Your insistence with the central ministry for approving five State Roads such as Berhampur-Koraput; Madhapur-Rayagada; Phulnakhara-Konark; Kuakhia-Aradi-Bhadrak and Palasa-Khariar as National Highways is also exceedingly palpable.

These routes are very important and some of them are backbone to bring major infrastructure development in KBK and to counter Naxal influence in the region.

However, the most sensitive regions for growing Naxal activity in Odisha are those regions which are in the border of major Naxal affected districts in Chhattisgarh.

Padampur, Paikmal, Sunabeda, Sinapali, Dharamgarh, Golamunda, Umarkote, etc are located in the border of Chhattisgarh and getting extremely susceptible to Naxal activities in recent time. The major roads in these localities are in bad shape making vulnerable to Naxal activities and require instant consideration before things become worst. This is right time to take initiative for constructing major roads and bridges in these bordering parts before the situation turns out to be like Malkangiri.

Some of the routes in these localities call for immediate attention and could be recommended for highways are:

Khariar – Golamunda – Moter – Mukhiguda – Kashipur – Rayagada;

Dhamtari (Chhatisgarh) – Kundai – Raighar – Umarkote – Papdahandi;

Abhanpur (Chhatisgarh) – Debhog – Baldhiamal (Junagarh) –Kalyasingpur – Jaykaypur;

Umarkote – Jharigaon – Gotomunda – Dharamgarh;

Sohela – Padampur – Paikmal – Nuapada – Sunabeda – Niliji – Sinapali – Debhog (Chhattisgarh) – Ampani – Mahajanguda – Baner – Thuamul Rampur – Kashipur – Lakshmipur (Koraput)

I anticipate you will look into this matter and take necessary action.

Thank you and best regards

Digambara Patra

Naveen seeks nod to 45 roads

2011-10-22T15:02:00.000+05:30

IBNlive, Oct 22, 2011
BHUBANESWAR: Highlighting the rising Left- wing extremism (LWE) in the State, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday requested the Centre for early approval of 45 roads in the Maoist-affected districts.
The roads running into 1,358 km would cost� Rs. 2,674 crore. The issue was raised by the Chief Minister during his meeting with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Dr CP Joshi in New Delhi. Joshi assured the Chief Minister that the Centre is committed to sanction roads in Naxal-affected districts and the proposal for the 45 new roads will be approved during the current financial year.
� Naveen informed the the Union Minister about the loss of life and large-scale damage caused by the unprecedented September floods.
He sought Rs. 50 crore for urgent repair and restoration of damaged National Highways.

� The Chief Minister requested that upgradation of two approved NHs __ Panikoili to Remuli and Talcher to Chandikhole __� to four lanes may be taken up at the earliest.� He said there is a need to provide adequate funds for repair and maintenance of National Highways in the State besides a provision of ` 36 crore for periodic renewal of specified stretches of NHs which have been approved for upgradation under National Highway Development Project (NHDP).

� Naveen demanded that five State Highways __ Berhampur-Koraput, Madhapur-Rayagada, Phulnakhara-Konark, Kuakhia-Aradi-Bhadrak and Palasa-Khariar __ be upgraded to NHs. He further demanded that there should be immediate repair of the high-level bridge over river Jira on NH-6 in addition to construction of additional waterway on NH-60.
�� The Union Minister was also requested to expedite sanction of estimates for land acquisition for enabling construction of seven new bypasses in Balangir on NH-26, Titlagarh on NH-59, Berhampur on NH-59, Nabarangpur on NH-26, Boriguma on NH-26, Jeypore on NH-26 and Koraput on NH-26 and� urgently allocate funds to the State under the Central Road Fund.
� Joshi informed Naveen that he will depute chairman, NHAI, to the State to assess the difficulties associated with NHs and take appropriate action to ensure their upgradation. On construction of bypasses, he assured that Berhampur bypass on NH-59 will be taken up immediately and the proposals for other bypasses will be considered in due course.
He informed that his Ministry has approved the Transport Management System for Orissa State Road Transport Corporation at a cost of Rs. 4.7 crore for improving road safety on NHs.

Tender for Construction of Staff Quarters, Service Buildings, Signal Goomties, Colony Road and other allied works at Junagarh

2011-10-22T14:59:00.000+05:30

Source: East Coast Railway
Tenders

Back
Complete Details of selected Tender
Division HQConstuction
Department Civil Engineering

Tender No. CE/Con/III/BBS/T/28/2011

Publication date on website 19-09-2011 At : 16:30

Description Lanjigarh Road- Junagarh New B.G Line: Construction of Staff Quarters, Service Buildings, Signal Goomties, Colony Road and other allied works at Junagarh
Tender Notice Document Download NIT
Approximate Cost 3,28,27,012

EMD Cost 3,14,140
Tender Document Cost 10,000
Last Date of Document Collection 24-10-2011 Up to : 18:15
Last Date of Document submission 25-10-2011 Up to : 12:00
Tender Opening Date 25-10-2011 At : 12:30
Tender Document Download Document

For further information contact:
Name A.K.Behera
E-mail
Telephone Number 0674-2301317
Address C-67G, Rail Vihar, C.S.Pur, BBS

4 more districts included under SRE scheme

2011-10-22T00:42:00.000+05:30

The Pioneer, Oct 22, 2011
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday met Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and raised the issue of growing Maoist menace and sought strategic Central assistance to deal with the problem.
Appreciating the issue raised by Patnaik, the Union Home Minister assured all possible assistance to combat the Maoists and said the Central Government had approved Odisha's proposal for inclusion of four Maoist-prone districts under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme as well as decided to include three more districts under the Integrated Action Plan.

On the Maoist management issues, the Chief Minister emphasised the expansion of SRE to more districts in view of the increasing activities of the Maoists. He reiterated the demand to include four more districts of Nuapada, Bargarh, Balangir and Kalahandi under the (SRE) scheme.

He also requested Chidambaram for deployment of two additional battalions of Central Para Military Force (CPMF) by December 2011, early deputation of experienced field level officers from CPMF to Government of Odisha and placement of at least two MI-17 helicopters at the disposal of the State Police deserve to be accorded priority to accelerate the fight against the Maoists.
The Union Home Minister was requested to entrust construction of Gurupriya Bridge in Malkangiri district to the CPMF, considered necessary for carrying out effective anti-Maoist operations.
The Chief Minister also sought from Chidambaram for waiver of charges amounting to `567.55 crore towards deployment of CPMF covering the period up to July 30, 2011 and reiterated his request to include five more districts — Bargarh, Ganjam, Nayagarh,Dhenkanal and Jajpur —, under the Integrated Action Plan (lAP) Scheme.

The Union Home Minister also informed that the Government of India has approved four more districts namely, Nuapada, Bargarh, Bolangir and Kalahandi under the SRE scheme. Deputation of suitable officers from CPMF for deployment in Odisha is also under active consideration, he stated.

Chidambaram informed that one additional battalion of CRPF is being deployed shortly but the deployment of BSF battalion may take another two-three months. He added that indent for two MI-17 helicopters has already been issued and placement is expected shortly. It was also informed that the Central Government has approved three more districts of Ganjam, Nayagarh and Jajpur under the Integrated Action Plan (IAP).

The Union Minister appreciated the difficulties being faced by the State in carrying out effective anti-Maoist operations due to delay in construction of Gurupriya Bridge and assured that he would seriously consider the proposal for having the work executed through a Central agency.

Regarding the Chief Minister's demand for waiver of charges towards deployment of CPMF covering a period up to June 30, 2011, the Union Home Minister informed that he had already taken up the matter with the Union Finance Minister.

Besides, the Union Home Minister assured to consider and approve the flood assistance to Odisha soon as the Chief Minister expressed his displeasure on the delay in release of Central assistance towards the flood damage.

During the meeting with the Chief Minister who urged for immediate release of Rs1,000 crore to continue the post flood repair and restoration work in 21 districts, Chidambaram informed that the Central team that visited Odisha assessed the flood damage, would submit its final report by October 24. The high-level committee comprising Union Agriculture, Finance and Home Ministers is expected to be convened very shortly to consider and approve assistance, Chidambaram said.

Patnaik ,who was in Delhi on a five-day visit apprised Chidambaram about large-scale loss of life, individual property and public infrastructure caused by the two phases of severe floods.

Drawing the attention of the Union Home Minister regarding the damage caused in the rural areas and the sufferings of large number of marginal farmers, whose standing crops suffered widespread damage, the Chief Minister urged him on the need to liberally provide assistance to the Government of Odisha to mitigate the adverse impact of the natural calamity.

Stating that the damage in various sectors due to the floods has been estimated at `3,265 crore and the State Government had already initiated repair and restoration work on war footing, the Chief Minister requested the Union Home Minister to immediately consider releasing `1,000 crore as advance assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund to enable the State to sustain its efforts.