After BJP's Vikas rally, Cong's Dhikkar on June 10

The New Indian Express (Bhubaneswar), June 4, 2016

BHAWANIPATNA: A DAY after BJP’s Vikas Utsav rally addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Balasore highlighted the achievements of the NDA Government, the Congress on Friday announced to observe June 10 as ‘Dhikkar Divas’ in the State to highlight the failure of both the Centre and the State governments. They announced that they would stage demonstrations in all district and block headquarters as part of the ‘divas.’

Addressing a massive rally in front of Treasury Office, the Congress bigwigs accused the BJP and the BJD governments of showing step-motherly attitude towards Western Odisha, including KBK districts, and warned of intensified agitation for ‘Swabhimaan, and rights of Maa, Mati’.

The Congress leaders, including general secretary in-charge B K Hariprasad, former Union Minister Bhakta Charan Das and OPCC president Prasad Harichandan attended the event.

They submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Governor, through the District Collector.

The leaders accused the Naveen Patnaik Government of hijacking Central schemes and misleading people of the State.

He has mastered the art of blaming the Centre for all his failures and both the State and the Centre are trying to suppress voices of protest taking advantage of their numbers in the Houses.

Similarly, Modi is renaming the schemes launched by the UPA government and marketing it as BJP programme, they added.

The leaders said Modi is on self-glorification trips to Odisha and is selling dreams and cautioned people not to be fooled.

There is governance paralysis and poverty continues to grow despite abundant natural resources, the Congress leaders said, adding that farmers are gradually distancing themselves from agriculture and migrating to earn livelihood. More than 300 farmers have committed suicide due to debt burden, the leaders added.

They also took on the State

Government for its fresh move to mine bauxite from Niyamgiri when the Supreme Court had negated it once during the rule of UPA government.

Pointing out that Kalahandi has been a victim of neglect by both the BJP and the BJD, the leaders alleged that Sardar Rajas Medical College at Jaring has been closed, the proposed Agriculture University in Kalahandi is still in papers, university status to Autonomous Government College, Bhawanipatna has not materialised and the proposed railway wagon maintenance and repair factory at Narla in Kalahandi was shifted due to negligence. Congress leader Pradeep Majhi and former minister Jagannath Patnaik also addressed the gathering.

Party power

Congress accuses two Govts of showing step-motherly attitude towards Western Odisha

Warns of intensifying agitation for ‘Swabhimaan, and rights of Maa, Mati’

More than 300 farmers have committed suicide due to debt burden

Kalahandi sidelined in several issues

Sardar Rajas Medical College closed, proposed Agriculture University still in papers, university status to Autonomous Government College, Bhawanipatna yet to materialise, proposed railway wagon maintenance and repair factory at Narla shifted

NAVEEN URGED TO UPGRADE KBK COLLEGES TO VARSITIES

The Pioneer, April 14, 2016

Again the impoverished education condition of the KBK region has been brought to the attention of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Prof Digambara Patra, a local of Kalahandi district and a faculty in the American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon, in a letter to Patnaik, has sought conversion of the Government Autonomous College Bhawanipatna, the Rajendra College, Balangir and the Bikram Dev College, Jeypore to affiliated universities.

Citing the need for boosting the education sector in the KBK region and how it has been discriminated against other parts of the State, Patra said though the region accounts for 30 per cent of the geography of the State and 20 per cent of the State’s population, yet there is only one university, the Central University of Orissa (CUO) at Koraput.

Cuttack-Bhubaneswar-Khordha region has already multiple numbers of national and State institutions including IIT, NISER, IIIT, AIIMS, five State Government universities, three private universities etc. whereas Brahmapur has a host of State Government institutions and two State Government universities along with newly established IISER. National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Rourkela and IIM in

Sambalpur will boost Sambalpur-Rourkela region. This region has three State Government universities in Sambalpur and one State university in Rourkela. North Odisha has also two State universities one each in Baleswar and Baripada. However, KBK is still deficient of the number of universities and institutes it deserves, he lamented.

He reminded of the fact that four years ago the higher education task force had recommended for upgrading Government Autonomous College Bhawanipatna, Rajendra College Balangir and Bikram Dev College Jeypore to affiliated universities. He attributed the raw deal to political apathy to KBK region and urged the Chief Minister for appropriate steps in this regard.

State increases funds for KBK to Rs 250cr

Times of India, Nov 1, 2015
Bhubaneswar: The state government on Saturday announced to increase the fund for Biju Koraput-Balangir-Kalahandi (KBK) scheme from Rs 120 crore to Rs 250 crore.

The scheme is being implemented in eight districts. These are Koraput, Nabarangapur, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Balangir, Sonepur, Kalahandi and Nuapada.

"Since the NDA government has stopped fund flow under the KBK scheme from the 2015-16, the state government has decided to continue the scheme with additional budgetary provision to continue the development works in the region," said an officer after a review meeting headed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik here.

According to an official statement issued by the chief minister's office, the state government would bear the additional Rs 130 crore from its own sources.

Former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao launched a long-term action plan for the KBK on August 18, 1995, with an aim to alleviate hunger and ushering in development in the region.

Though the Centre granted Rs 250 crore annually for the KBK scheme under the Revised Long Term Action Plan (RLTAP), the UPA government had reduced the amount to Rs 130 crore in 2006.

As Rs 130 crore was not adequate to carry out development projects, the state government launched the Biju KBK scheme in 2006. Since then, the state government has been bearing additional Rs 120 crore from its own sources.

The additional fund will be spent for augmentation of road infrastructure, restoration of lift irrigation points and digging up of deep borewells to boost irrigation facilities and setting up of more schools and hostels.

The chief minister has directed different departments to chalk out action plan for effective expenditure of the additional amount to be borne by the state government. "Budgetary provision for the additional Rs 130 crore would be made in the supplementary budget likely to be tabled in the assembly in December," the officer said.

In the current fiscal, the Centre has delinked its support from eight-centrally sponsored schemes, including Backward Region Grant Fund and Integrated Action Plan meant for backward area development.

Central Govt to set up Software Park in Jeypore by 2017

Odisha News Insight, Aug 8, 2015

Jeypore, Aug 8: The Central government will set up a software technology park in Jeypore of Koraput district with an outlay of Rs. 10 crore in the first phase. The project is expected to complete by the end of 2017.

The government has proposed a three-acre of land situated at Phulabada area under Umri mouza. The proposed site is located at a distance of around 10 km from the Jeypore town, alongside of NH-26. A two-member team visited the proposed site on Friday.

The two-member team comprising Manas Ranjan Panda, Director of Software Technology Park of India (STPI) and Aditya Mohapatra, Deputy Secretary of Odisha IT Department, visited the site and discussed with the officials about the facilities like – nearest railways station, airport, engineering colleges and town. The team will submit a detail report about their visit to the central government as well as the state government.

Around 20 multi-national software companies are expected to function in this propose software park in Jeypore spread across in three acres of land. Apart from Jeypore, five more places – Angul, Jajpur, Sambalpur, Rayagada and Bhawanipatna may also get software technology parks.

Patnaik demands Rs 3,500 crore for Odisha

Moneycontrol, Aug 4, 2015
During a meeting with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Patnaik also demanded restoration of schemes including Backward Region Grant Fund for the beneift of vulnerable groups in the backward regions of the state.

Lamenting Centre's neglect towards Odisha in financial allocation, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday demanded Rs 3,500 crore from provision made for special dispensation through NITI Aayog, even as Centre said it was "actively" considering special assistance to KBK districts. During a meeting with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Patnaik also demanded restoration of schemes including Backward Region Grant Fund for the beneift of vulnerable groups in the backward regions of the state. Responding to the Chief Minister's demand, Jaitley said NITI Aayog is presently looking into all these issues including the funding pattern under the ongoing schemes and restoration of key Area Development Programmes. They include schemes such as the Integrated Action Plan for Left Wing Extremism affected areas and Backward Region Grant Fund. "The Government is also actively considering Special Assistance for Koraput-Balangir-Kalahandi (KBK) districts," he said. Jaitley also assured Patnaik that the Department of Expenditure will carefully look into the net additional liability suffered by Odisha on account of reduction of central assistance for state plan. He also said additional financial assistance will be provided to Odisha after evaluation of the state's requirements, according to a state government statement. During the meeting, Patnaik had expressed concern that in his budget speech this year, the Finance Minister had made no mention of any special central assistance for Odisha though similar assistance was promised to other eastern states. He said the state faces a net additional liability of Rs 2,149 crore in 2015-16 since the gain due to increase in devolution from 32 percent to 42 percent only partly offsets the loss suffered by the state on account of reduction of central assistance and grants, the statement said. Patnaik demanded that allocation under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana should be enhanced from the present level of Rs 912 crore to Rs 1,800 crore for which an equivalent provision has been made in the Budget Estimates of the state for 2015-16 to enable the state to take up and complete critical projects and improve rural connectivity.

SET UP IISER AT B’PATNA, URGES NRO EDUCATIONIST

The Pioneer, June 23, 2015

NRO (non-resident Odia) Professor Digambar Patra batted for the newly proposed Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) for Odisha at Bhawanipatna region to boost higher education in the KBK region.In a letter to the Union Human Resurse Minister Smrti Irani and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, he has justified the reasons as to why the KBK region now needs more higher education institutions.

The initiative by the State Government to upgrade the Khallikote College to a Cluster University, the RD Women’s College to a Women University, the GM College to a Unitary University and establishment of the Indian Institute of Management and Open University are praise worthy. Similarly, proposal to establish a Health University and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Odisha by Central Government is in the positive direction, he said.

However, in all the initiatives, the KBK region is not getting its equal share despite having 20 per cent of the population and 30 per cent of geographical area of the State. More ever, the region is well known for its tribal population, backwardness and low literacy rate.Without any Government initiated high quality educational establishment, all round development of the region cannot be achieved, he said further.

The State Government’s proposal to have a second Agriculture University in KBK has not yet been realised. This is the only region in the State which has often suffered political marginalisation in higher education sector, he lamented. The KBK region needs an education corridor, in the same way Cuttack, Puri, Bhubaneswar, Khordha, Brahmapur, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Rourkela are being established. The National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Rourkela and the IIM in Sambalpur will boost a number of national institutions in Sambalpur-Rourkela region.

The region has three State Government Universities in Sambalpur and one State University in Rourkela. Cuttack-Bhubaneswar-Khordha region has already multiple numbers of national and State institutions, including IIT, NISER, IIIT, AIIMS, five State universities, three private universities etc. whereas Brahmapur has multiple numbers of Government institutions and two State Government universities. North Odisha has also two State universities.

In comparison, the KBK region has only one university, the Central University of Odisha (CUO) at Koraput. This region needs more national institutions and State Government universities, especially Bhawanipatna-Koraput has a greater potential to develop as an education corridor. Besides the CUO at Koraput, another national institution is needed at Bhawanipatna for the Koraput-Bhawanipatna educational corridor.

Consider establishing IISER in KBK region of Odisha

To

Honorable Chief Minister of Odisha Mr. Patnaik

CC

Honorable union HRD Minister, Mrs. Irani

Dear Honorable Chief Minister Mr. Patnaik,

The initiative by state Govt. to upgrade Khallikote College to a Cluster University, R D Women's college to a Women University, G M College to a Unitary University and establishment of Indian Institute of Management and Open University are praise worthy. Similarly, proposal to establish a Health University by state Govt. and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Odisha by central Govt. is in the positive direction. 

However, in all these initiatives KBK region is not getting its equal share despite having 20 % of the population and 30 % of geographical area of the state. Moreever, this region is well known for its tribal population, backwardness and low literacy rate. Without any Govt. initiated high quality educational establishment all round development of this region can not be achieved.  

The state Govt.'s proposal to have a second agriculture University in KBK has not yet been realised. This is the only region in the state which has often suffered political marginalisation in higher education sector. 

Unfortunately, policy makers in the state had been always dividing the states in three different regions, namely Western Odisha, Southern Odisha and central Odisha and distributing the educational institutions accordingly. Doing so, preference was always given to few selective cities in Odisha.

Thankfully for the first time your Govt. in the recent past has  taken some initiative for KBK region while establishing higher educational institutions. However, these initiatives are far less than what KBK region deserves and decades of marginalization based on its geographical area and total population

KBK region needs an education corridor, in the same way Cuttack-Puri-Bhubaneswar-Khordha-Berhampur and Sambalpur-Jharsuguda-Rourkela are being established. 

National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Rourkela and IIM in Sambalpur will boost number of national institutions in Sambalpur-Rourkela region. This region has 3 state Govt. Universities in Sambalpur and one state University in Rourkela. Cuttack-Bhubaneswar-Khordha region has already multiple number of national and state institutions including IIT, NISER, IIIT, AIIMS, five state Govt. universities, three private universities etc. whereas Berhampur has multiple numbers of state Govt. institutions and 2 state Govt. Universities. North Odisha has also two state Universities. 

In comparison, KBK region has only one University, Central University of Orissa (CUO) at Koraput. This region needs more national institution and state Govt. universities, especially Bhawanipatna-Koraput has a greater potential to develop as education corridor. Beside CUO at Koraput, another national institution is needed at Bhawanipatna for the Koraput-Bhawanipatna educational corridor. 

Location of Bhawanipatna is also suited for whole KBK-Kandhamal because Bhawanipatna is central town for all locations between Koraput and Balangir, Nuapada and Rayagada, Umarkote and Phulbani, Sonepur and Malkangiri, etc.

I request you to consider establishing newly proposed IISER for Odisha in Bhawanipatna region to further develop higher education in KBK region.

Thank you and best regards

Centre may okay funds for some Odisha dists

Times of India, May 17, 2015
Sujit kumar bisoyi,TNN | May 17, 2015, 03.53 PM IST
BHUBANESWAR: The NDA government is likely to consider state's demand for continuation of the Koraput-Balangir-Kalahandi (KBK) scheme and Integrated Action Plan (IAP) implemented in 18 Maoist-hit districts.

The Centre has not allocated funds for both the schemes in the 2015-16 annual budget.

The state government raised the issue at the regional meeting of NITI Aayog organized in Kolkata on May 12.

"The NITI Aayog has agreed to take up the issue in its governing council meeting," said an officer of planning and coordination department.

The KBK, comprising Koraput, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Sonepur, Balangir, Kalahandi and Nuapada districts, is one of the poorest and most backward regions of the country.

On August 18, 1995, former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao launched a long-term action plan for KBK to alleviate hunger and usher in development.

Under IAP, each district was allocated Rs 30 crore a year for development work, which was approved and monitored by the Planning Commission. In 2010, the Union ministry of rural development started implementing the scheme in 60 districts. It later expanded to 88.

The state government demanded Rs 250 crore under special plan for KBK and Rs 540 crore for IAP, official sources said.

The state has also demanded that the Centre bears the monthly salary of gana sikshyaks under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), anganwadi workers under Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) and ASHA workers under National Health Mission (NHM) because the central government has substantially reduced funding under several schemes following the 14th finance commission recommendations.

Odisha has also moved the Centre to continue funding for NHM, National Urban Livelihood Mission, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyaan, National Rural Drinking Water Programme and rural housing scheme in the existing sharing pattern after the Centre announced to give only 50% of the money.

On May 8, chief minister Naveen Patnaik during his meeting with Union health and family welfare minister J P Nadda urged him to continue NHM in its current sharing pattern.

Biju Expressway Yet to Cut Through 'Red' Tape

The New Indian Express (Bhubaneswar), May 11, 2015

BHUBANESWAR: Even nine months after launching of the Rs  3,200 crore Biju Expressway aimed at connecting the four districts of Odisha, including Bargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, and Sundargarh, with four KBK (Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput) districts namely Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Nuapada, preliminary work is yet to be started. The project has assumed significance in view of the increasing Maoist activities in neighbouring Chhattisgarh.

Official sources said that as field survey and identification of projects already awarded on the same route are yet to be completed, preliminary work on the 656 km long Expressway project is yet to be started.

The programme was launched with much fanfare by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in August last year. However, only a token Rs 30 crore has been provided for the project in the 2015-16 budget. The project was an election promise of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

Though the Expressway project is 656-km long, widening of road is already going on in the same route on 234 km stretch by various departments, out of 254 km identified for the first phase expansion.

L&T has undertaken four-laning of road from Rourkela to Sambalpur (160 km) through public-private partnership (PPP) mode and work for four-laning of Sambalpur to Sohella road via Bargarh (74 km) is being funded by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

In the first phase, 254 km of the corridor would be converted into four lanes and the rest 402 km widened to two lanes at a cost of Rs 1,471 crore. In the second phase, 258 km would be made four lanes at a cost of Rs  1,729 crore.

Official sources said that the first phase of the project is expected to be completed by May 2017 while the second phase is scheduled to be completed by May, 2020.

 Both the State and the Centre would bear the cost of the project, estimated at Rs 3,200 crore. For the Rourkela-Sambalpur road widening project, the State Government will spend Rs 256 crore. However, in the changed scenario arising out of the cut in Central assistance for different projects, the project has remained uncertain.

 The corridor is aimed at connecting border towns like Chandli, Boriguma, Nabarangpur, Papadahandi, Ambapani, Dharmagarh, Sinapali, Nuapada, Paikamal, Padampur, Sohella, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundagarah and Rourkela.

Continue Funds for Key Plans, State Plea to Centre

The New Indian Express, May 4, 2015

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has requested the Centre to provide Rs 3,000 crore to continue implementation of several key programmes which will face shortage of funds in the coming days due to reduction in Central assistance. Besides, it has also asked the Centre to continue funding of area specific development (ASD) plans which are being implemented in backward and Naxal-affected areas of the State.

The ASD plans include special scheme for KBK (undivided Koraput, Balangir and Kalahandi districts) region, Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) and Integrated Action Plan (IAP).

The Centre’s decision to delink eight schemes from Central support and change the sharing pattern of 33 Centrally-sponsored schemes will substantially reduce the quantum of Central assistance in 2015-16. The State Government will have to provide funds from its own resources for sector specific and State specific programmes which were recommended by the Thirteenth Finance Commission (TFC). However, the Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC) has not recommended any grants for sector and State specific programmes.

 The loss on account of reduction in Central assistance will be about Rs 8,037.26 crore. The State Government will receive an additional Rs 5,883.43 crore on account of the 10 per cent more devolution of funds recommended by the FFC. The additional liability of the State Government will be Rs 2148.83 crore in 2015-16.

 In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has said delinking area development programmes like KBK, BRGF and IAP from Central assistance will severely affect development programmes taken up in Maoist-affected districts.

This will have an adverse impact on the socio-economic development of some of the most vulnerable and backward regions of the State, he said.

The Chief Minister has also taken up the issue of loss of Rs 1,700 crore per year from the current financial year for deferment of VAT on petroleum products for 11 years after commissioning of the oil refinery of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) at Paradip. The State Government is exploring a suitable mechanism to minimise loss in this regard in consultation with the Centre.

However, the revenue loss will continue till some alternative mechanism is in place.

State Govt. Proposed two Engineering College in Balangir and Nabarangpur under RUSA

Thanks to Prof. Chitta Baral for sharing this information

Assembly members concerned over shortage of doctors, teachers

Business Standard, March 20, 2015
Cutting across party lines, members of both the ruling and the opposition parties in Odisha Assembly today expressed concern over acute shortage of doctors and teachers in government-run institutes in the state, particularly in the backward KBK region. 

The issue was raised both during the Question Hour and during an adjournment motion debate. 

Citing figures, assembly members pointed out that 4,343 doctors were appointed as against 4,843 approved posts of doctors in the state and of the total strength many remain absent from their place of posting. 

Though provisions are being made to provide doctors in far flung areas of the state, the appointed health professionals are unwilling to travel to the hinterlands, they alleged. 

"The government has been facing problems as doctors are reluctant to work in rural and remote areas," Health minister Atanu S Nayak said adding that the government has appointed 400 ad hoc doctors in these areas. 

Further, the health minister informed the Assembly that steps are being taken to open five new medical colleges in the state. 

The opposition members claimed that a large number of teaching posts were lying vacant in different state-run colleges, aided colleges and universities and alleging that the government has been specially ignorant to the "drought" of teachers in the Kalahandi-Bolangit-Koraput (KBK) region. 

"While 42.58 per cent of teachers' posts remained vacant in government colleges, 35.41 per cent of teaching posts in universities were unfilled and the ratio of such vacancy in aided colleges stood at 15.1 per cent," said Congress member Chiranjib Biswal. 

Biswal said against the sanctioned 54 posts of teachers in Jeypore college in Koraput district, the number of vacancies was 43. Similarly of the 39 sanctioned posts, 33 posts remained vacant in Koraput college. In Bhawanipatna College in Kalahandi, the number of vacancies is 45 as against the sanctioned 57 posts. 

"Is it not a drought of teachers?," Biswal asked. 

Congress chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati demanded that the government should stop appointment of contractual teachers in colleges and varsities as the practice affects education. 

In reply, higher education minister Pradip Panigrahi said the government has taken steps to appoint teachers in colleges even as he blamed the previous Congress government's agreement with the DFID saying the state could not make appointments after retirement of teachers in government colleges. 

However, the minister said all steps would soon be taken to fill the vacant posts of teachers.

Govt Slammed for Growing Regional Disparity in State

Note: Now the panel agrees on what we analysed in 2009 general election http://www.orissadiary.com/ShowOriyaColumn.asp?id=12794

The New Indian Express, March 16, 2015

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the Government has projected a growth rate of 8 per cent during 2015-16, the growing disparities among different regions in the State have come in for sharp criticism from the Opposition political parties.

The delay on the part of the State Government to place the report of Justice SK Mohanty Commission, set up to look into regional imbalances, in the Assembly is alleged to be a cover-up of the lack of development in many areas of northern and southern Odisha, despite claims to the contrary.

Alleging that regional imbalance continues in its worst form in the State, Leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra said no action seems to have been taken on the recommendations of the Commission. It is mandatory for the Government to place the report in the Assembly along with the action taken report within six months of the Commission giving its recommendations. Though six years have elapsed since the Commission submitted its report, the Government is sitting over it, he said.

Criticising the Government for not tabling the report for the last six years, BJP MLA Dilip Ray alleged that all the blocks in border areas of the State are backward. He demanded that recommendations of the Commission should be implemented on a priority basis within a time-frame.

The Commission had recommended that a Backward Area Development Council, covering all backward and very backward blocks of the State, should be set up by the Government. It has also said that a Bordering Area Development Board should be set up to intensify developments in the border blocks.

The Commission’s report is gathering dust since its submission to the Government in 2008. The Government is yet to table the report in the Assembly along with the action taken report.

The panel found seven districts to be ‘backward’ and eight to be ‘very backward’. In contrast, six districts were classified under ‘developed’ and nine under the ‘developing’ category. The panel also found serious disparities in the State in the field of industries. As many as 15 districts have been identified as industrially backward. Of these, seven were also extremely backward in terms of agriculture - which further compounded their misery. The districts were Malkangiri, Gajapati, Deogarh, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Mayurbhanj and Kalahandi, almost all dominated by tribal people.

The Government has set up Western Odisha Development Council to undertake developments in the Western Odisha region.

Global Odisha Competitions: Dossiers about Kalahandi and/or KBK invited

There will be Global Odisha Competitions. One can submit a dossiers about Kalahandi. Some of you are great photographer and have lots of information on Kalahandi, please prepare separately on Kalahandi and follow the link site for instruction and submission. If you need any clarification and information do not hesitate to ask me. There is also attractive prize. https://sites.google.com/site/odisha2k15/

Global Odisha Competition invites dossier about Odisha, dossier KBK & Kalahandi regions are also invited. https://t.co/WSBvmU5MFx
— Digambara Patra (@digpatra) March 16, 2015

BJD Seeks Prez Intervention, Dubs Modi Govt 'Anti-People'

Outlook (India), March 2, 2015

Accusing the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre of adopting "step-motherly" attitude towards Odisha on political consideration, the ruling BJD today sought President Pranab Mukherjee's intervention into the matter as it affects thousands of tribals living in the poverty stricken regions of the state.

"We have submitted a memorandum drawing kind attention of the President to intervene and take steps for the greater interest of Odisha," BJD youth wing president and Odisha's food and supplies minister Sanjay Dasburma told reporters after youths, women and students wings of the party staged a protest dharna near Raj Bhavan here.

Terming the NDA government's attitude towards Odisha as "anti-people and apathetic", the ruling party decided to stage agitation in all the 30 districts of the state tomorrow.

"The long cherished demand of Odisha for declaration of Special Category State along with provisions of special packages in view of the legitimate claim has been neglected whereas neighbouring states like West Bengal and Bihar have been gifted with Rs 20,000 crore special packages with a narrow political motive," the BJD's memorandum to the President of India said.

Alleging that the development of KBK (Kalahandi- Balangir-Koraput) region have been ompletely neglected, the memorandum said that the Centre has completly closed BRGF (backward region grant fund) and seven centrally sponsored schemes leading to adverse impact on 19 districts including 10 districts in KBK area.

The party also alleged that the 14th Finance Commission recommendations have completely disheartned Odisha as the share of central tax for the state has been reduced to 4.64 per cent from 4.78 per cent. "The state will lose arounf 4,600 crore in five years, the memorandum said.

The ruling BJD headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also alleged that while the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced two industrial corridors from Chennai to Vaizag and Amritsar to Kolkata under Make in India programme, it cleaverly bypassed Odisha.

Though the central budget made provisions for certain heritage cities, it completely forgot to make allocation for the Lord Jagannath's Nabakalebar festival in July this year, which takes place after a gap of 19 years.

IIM in Sambalpur good step, IISER in KBK region may further help equitable distribution

March 2, 2015

Dear Honorable Chief Minister Mr. Patnaik,

I am very glad and like to congratulate that you have written back to Minister of Human Resource Development, GOI, recommending establishment of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Sambalpur under relaxed guidelines. This proves that you and your Govt. were honest in identifying site as per MHRD direction.

There are many intellectuals across the state who are in favour of locating IIM outside Bhubaneswar region. Besides people of Sambalpur region, Professor Gopabandhu Behera has often written to establish IIM in Sambalpur region. Personally I am happy that Odisha Government has started looking beyond Bhubaneswar-Cuttack region for the development of higher education.

Being the capital city Bhubaneswar will also continue to attract people for work, business and administration. There are at least 10000 people who settle in/around Bhubaneswar after retirement every year, which makes lots of real estate demand and bring business.

 

Though NGOs and activists work for rural development, human right, environment, water, climate change, tribal right, etc across the state, large share of them live in and around Bhubaneswar and visit field time to time. Often they have two offices, one in Cuttack-Bhubaneswar (where the head lives) and other in the field where actually local employee/labourer live. India has more number of NGOs per person than number of police per person, their number can't be ignored. These groups further increase demand and business in Bhubaneswar.

Most of the mining and mineral based industries in Odisha, use Bhubaneswar as gateway and will continue to have their main offices located in Bhubaneswar, which creates further demand. Journalists and TV channels are other service industries which will continue to grow in Bhubaneswar. As infrastructure in Bhubaneswar is better than any other place in Odisha, private educational institutions will continue to come around Bhubaneswar.

Therefore, focus should be made to improve quality education in Bhubaneswar and on the other hand establish Government higher educational institutions outside 150 km radius of Bhubaneswar.

Besides  IT industries, educational institutions, tourist destinations in Bhubaneswar, there is lots of potentials in 150 km radius of Bhubaneswar, such as Paradeep port (by now 2nd in handling cargo in the country), Puri (among top tourist and religious destination), Konark (other tourist site), Chilika (another tourist site), Cuttack, Jajpur (Kalinganagar, industrial corridor), Dhenkanal (power industries), Khordha, etc. All these industrial and tourists place will continue to depend on Bhubaneswar as gateway. In 150 km radius of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, development will reach Berhampur, Kendrapada, Dhamara, Bhadrak and Balasore in future.

For the state capital region state Govt. priority should be in in metro rail, road, water, sanitation, quality education etc.  Few important necessary things for Odisha Government are to:

(1) Make direct train and road connections for Bhubaneswar-Paradeep (not existed now), Paradeep-Konark-Puri, and Bhubaneswar-Konark and  having local train connections in every couple of hours to Paradeep, Puri, Konark, Jajpur (Kalinga nagar), Dhenkanal (in long run to reach Berhampur and Bhadrak/Balasore)

(2) Have metro train network for Cuttack-Bhubaneswar-Khordha

(3) Establish new central and state Govt. major establishments in Sambalpur-Rourkela and Bhawanipatna-Koraput regions. There are sufficient number of top Govt. higher educational institutions like IIT, AIIMS, NISER, etc around Bhubaneswar.  Now such Govt. institution should go to North-West  Odisha, such as Sambalpur-Rourkela and South-West Odisha, Bhawanipatna-Koraput region. IIM can be located in Sambalpur region, similarly IISER in Bhawanipatna, Govt. medical colleges in Balangir, Koraput, Baripada, Balasore and Puri. 

(4) Make Jharsuguda airport and another airport should be around somewhere Bhawanipatna-Rayagada belt. Focusing Jharsuguda/Sambalpur as the base will develop 150 km radius comprising Sundergarh, Brajaraj Nagar, Bargarh, Sonepur and will reach upto Rourkela, Keonjhar and Angul. Similarly, focusing Bhawanipatna as base will develop 150 km radius Rayagada, Balangir, Titilagarh, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Jeypore, Boudh, Phulbani and Paralakhemundi.

(5) Establish direct train connection from Bhubaneswar to Balangir including Boudh, Nayagarh and Sonepur (Khordha-Balangir line), Kalahandi (Talcher-Lanjigarh road line), Koraput (Rayagada-Gopalpur line), Nabarangpur (Junagarh-Jeypore line) and Malkangiri (Jeypore-Malkangiri line), Kendrapada (Paradeep-Haridaspur line) by providing free land and sharing 50% of the cost by the state Government.

 KBK-Kandhamal is the only region in Odisha, which is left far behind compared to rest of Odisha in higher education and industrial development. Like Cuttack-Puri-Bhubaneswar-Khordha and Sambalpur-Jharsuguda-Rourkela, one corridor in KBK such as Koraput-Bhawanipatna-Rayagada has the potential to develop in higher education and industries. Location of Bhawanipatna is also suited for whole KBK-Kandhamal because Bhawanipatna is central town for all locations between Koraput and Balangir, Nuapada and Rayagada, Umarkote and Phulbani, Sonepur and Malkangiri, etc.

Bhubaneswar region has already multiples number of national institutions. Along with National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Rourkela, IIM in Sambalpur will boost number of national institutions in Sambalpur-Rourkela region. 

Similarly, along with central university at Koraput, location of Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Bhawanipatna would boost number of national institutions in Bhawanipatna-Koraput region.

Therefore, I urge you to also consider establishing newly proposed IISER for Odisha in Bhawanipatna region to further develop higher education in KBK region.

Thank you and best regards

OMC initiates steps to scrap bauxite mining JV with Sterlite, Hindalco

Business Standard, Feb 24, 2015
The companies have been asked to reply why JVs with them would not be scrapped as they have not achieved progress as per the agreement
Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) has started the process to scrap bauxite mining joint venture (JV) projects withHindalco and Sesa Sterlite after the state government said the state-run miner can take a decision to do so.
“We have sent show cause notices to Hindalco and Sesa Sterlite after the government said we can take a call on this. They have been asked to send their replies within two weeks,” said Girish S N, managing director of OMC, saying the notices were sent earlier this month.

The companies have been asked to reply why JVs with them would not be scrapped as they have not achieved progress as per the agreement, he added.

OMC had formed South West Bauxite Mining Company (Pvt) Ltd with 26:74 equity shareholding in association with Sterlite Industries India Limited (SIIL) in 2009 for supply of bauxite deposited in Kalahandi and Raygada districts for the aluminium refinery of Vedanta Aluminium Ltd, now known as Sesa Sterlite.

However, the project received heavy resistance from the locals of Niyamgiri hills (with 78 million tonne bauxite deposit) ahead of starting mining activities in the area and subsequently, the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment had cancelled the final forest clearance for the project. Though Sesa Sterlite requested allocation of another area for bauxite mining, OMC did not take any step.

Similarly, East Coast Bauxite Mining Company (Pvt) Ltd was formed in 2005 with 26:74 equity holding between OMC and Hindalco Industries Ltd. It was executed for development of Kodingamali bauxite mines (having estimated reserve 85 million tonne) in Koraput district and supplying the raw material to the alumina refinery of the Hindalco. This project also met with similar fate that of Sesa Sterlite’s due to land acquisition problem as villagers opposed mining in their area.

Both the companies have set up their aluminium refinery and smelter units in the state and are struggling to source key raw material bauxite. While Sesa Sterlite has invested over Rs 50,000 crore on its projects, Hindlaco’s investments in the state are pegged at around Rs 21,000 crore.

Justifications for Rail Network in KBK region

Lanjigarh road-Amaguda route

Kalahandi-Balangir- Koraput (KBK) region in Odisha is a multi-facet backward region due to hilly backwardness, tribal populated backwardness and backward due to natural calamities. Similar backward regions in India like North Eastern States have received special treatment by railway board where as KBK region has been neglected since decades. Even hilly region like Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand have received special package in railway by Govt. of India. Many of the railway projects in North Easter states have been declared as national project. Coincidentally, for irrigation projects KBK region is considered long with North Eastern states by the central Government. Nevertheless, railway projects in KBK region have not received any special treatment as national projects. Naxal activities are predominantly high in KBK region due to poor communication and poor infrastructure. It is also important to note that railway infrastructure in Odisha and Chhatisgarh is substantially low compared to national average despite both the states are in the profit making zones, where as railway infrastructure in Bihar and West Bengal are remarkably high though they are in the loss making zones. East Coast Railway Zone is one of the larger profit-making zones, and a large portion of this profit comes from Kothavalasa-Kirandul (KK) line passing through KBK region. In this KK line, railway lines between Koraput-Kothavalasa is e-special category railway route where many tunnels and high-level bridges are present, which limits the speed to less than 50 kmph. At the same time number of wagon can’t exceed 30 during mineral transportations in these this routes. Similarly, other possible railway route, Koraput-Rayagada is also e-special category railway route having many tunnels and high-level bridges. Thus, a new route that will increase the speed limit and number of wagon during mineral transportation from Jagdalpur (Chhatisgarh) to Visakhapatnam is needed. In fact, in 1962-63 it was pointed out in the parliament that Mr. Parkers had done a railway line survey from Kesinga to Nabarangpur to join Kothavalasa-Kirandul (KK) line. Subsequently, in 1990-91 Amabguda-Lanjigarh road railways line was proposed to make mineral transportation from Kirandul to Visakhapatnam faster and easier.  In 1991, Lanjigarh road-Junagarh line was approved and this 56 km line took 25 years to get completed due to negligence by railway ministry. At the same time survey of Junagarh-Ambaguda portion of this route has been completed, but this portion of this route has not yet been approved. There are other industrial proposals in this region, which will be benefited from the proposed railway route. Therefore, Junagarh-Amaguda line should be immediately approved and completed.

Lanjigarh road-Talcher route or Kharagpur-Bhadrachalam road route

Proposed Lanjigarh road - Phulbani – Talcher railway route is another important rail network in KBK-Kandhamal region, which is under survey. This line will connect Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Titilagarh (Balangir dist), Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts with Bhubaneswar (Odisha’s state capital) by joining with Khurda-Balangir line near Boudh. 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. 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. Other industries like Utkal alumina, Vedanta alumina (now Sesa Sterlite) etc in this region will also be benefited. Most importantly, Howrah-Chennai route has been congested and a route via Kharagpur, Baripada, Talcher, Lanjigarh road, Junagarh, Nabarangpur, Jeypore, Malkangiri, Bhadrachalam road and Vijaywada will not only decongest the route but also bring development to many tribal dominated districts of the nation. The proposed route also makes another possible route to connect Hyderabad directly with Ranchi and Patna (via Titlagarh-Junagarh) or Kolkata (via Baripada-Lanjigarh road-Bhadrachalam road). Thus, Lanjigarh road - Phulbani – Talcher line should be immediately approved for construction.

Raipur-Lanjigarh road-Gopalpur port route

This Lanjigarh road – Berhampur-Gopalpur line along with Raipur-Rajim-Junagarh will make direct connection between Nagpur/Bhilai and Gopalpur via Raipur. This route will make access South East Asian countries from Raipur, Bhilai, Nagpur and central India via Gopalpur port. This will further reduce distance between Gopalpur port and Nagpur and make Gopalpur port as competitive as Mumbai port from Nagpur or central India region. At the same time it will bring railway infrastructure to the Maoist and tribal dominated region and connect Behrampur, Kalahandi and Debhog (Raipur) region with Raipur and Nagpur. Survey work of Raipur - Rajim - Debhog - Junagarh is almost complete and this route should be approved immediately. This will also establish a direct connection between Raipur and Talcher along with Talcher-Lanjigarh road route. Similarly, new survey should be done for Lanjigarh road-Gopalpur railway line to directly connect Bhilai steel plant with Gopalpur port. Beside social development in KBK-Kandhamal-Ganjam region, this line may be exploited commercially by many steel, iron and coal plants in Bhilai and Raipur regions to connect with Gopalpur port as well as coal rich Talcher/Angul region.

KBK line covering 5 KBK districts

Similarly, Kantabanji-Jeypore railway route will connect Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Koraput. It will also help in directly connecting Koraput with Raipur region. The route has been surveyed and should be immediately approved.