Bhubaneswar, May 5: Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik today alleged that the state government had failed to carry out development activities in the Maoist-hit Malkangiri district.
After a whirlwind visit to Kalimela in Malkangiri district yesterday, Patnaik said: “ Steps should be taken to strengthen democracy at the grassroots. We should not allow the collapse of the grassroots democracy in these areas.” During his visit, Patnaik was accompanied by senior Congress leader Narasingha Mishra.
Addressing a media conference here today, Patnaik said: “The en-mass resignation of over 60 panchayati raj institution representatives of Kalimela block in the district was really shocking. The government should immediately step in and restore this critical democratic institution.”
The panchayati raj representatives in Kalimela had resigned en-mass last month over the inaction of the administration in completing an irrigation canal and providing amenities such as drinking water. The panchayati raj representatives include panchayat samiti chairperson, vice-chairman, members, sarpanchs and ward members.
“We are shocked at the callousness of the Naveen Patnaik government towards the collapse of this grassroots institution. It failed to respond to this crisis and are treating it as a casual event. Imagine 30 MLAs of Odisha or 100 MPs of Lok Sabha resigning. Panchayati raj institutions are an important part of our constitutional edifice,” said Patnaik, adding that he would take up the issue with the centre and urged measures to restore democracy.
Misery at Malkangiri was being perpetuated by the insensitivity and inaction of the state government, he alleged.
Ironically, Malkangiri is among the top three Maoist-affected districts in the country, with 60 per cent tribals and 81 per cent people living below the poverty line. Reeling out statistics, Patnaik said that under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNERGS), the district has received Rs 35.39 crore till February this year, but only Rs 14.78 crore had been spent. Of the 3,024 units sanctioned under the Indira Awas Yojana housing scheme, just over 30 houses had been built. Under the Integrated Action Plan, the district has received Rs 85 crore, of which only Rs 55 crore had been spent.
Malkangiri has 36 health centres apart from the district headquarters hospital, but they remain non-functional, as at least 40 posts of doctors are lying vacant against the sanctioned strength of 87, the Congress chief said.
BJD general secretary and school and mass education minister Rabi Narayan Nanda, who represents the region, denied the allegations. “The government has taken a number of steps for the development of the undivided Koraput district. The Congress is in the habit of making such baseless allegations,” he said.
