ROURKELA: WITH several Central and State government projects in limbo, the Rourkela District Congress Committee (RDCC) has decided to mobilise public opinion against the pending projects and expose the BJP and the BJD governments.
Numerous issues concerning development of Rourkela too remain unresolved even after it has been listed among the Smart Cities. As part of their plans, the RDCC held a protest demonstration at Bisra Square two days back.
RDCC president Biren Senapati said during 17 years of BJD rule, including nine years with its ally BJP, there has been no visible development in Rourkela. Proposals for a barrage over river Koel along with Ring Road, wholesale market yard and government Medical College and Hospital (MCH) are yet to materialise though the Chief Minister has laid foundations.
The Birsa Munda stadium remains half-constructed. Many expansion projects of Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) are stuck at different stages of processing. Mega UIDSSMT water project, housing scheme for slum dwellers, 20,000 apartments of Rourkela Development Authority and solid waste treatment plant proposals are gathering dust.
There has been no progress on outreach campus of XIMB after the Chief Minister announced to set up one at Rourkela even after more than two years, while the hockey nursery proposal was shelved and two Centres of Excellence for hockey were shifted to Bhubaneswar, Senapati added.
Listing the unfulfilled promises of the Central Government, former Congress MLA Pravat Mohapatra said upgradation of Ispat General Hospital (IGH) into Super Speciality Hospital and Medical College, expansion of NH-143 and construction of second Brahmani bridge are pending despite the Prime Minister’s announcement.
The suspension bridge project at Vedvyas and restoration of air connectivity to the city are also pending, Mohapatra said.
Odisha unit BJD secretary A C Mohanty, however, said under the BJD rule, the city is progressing well. Odisha unit BJP secretary Dhiren Senapati claimed that the pending Central projects are in final stages of implementation.
Mandsaur farmers’ killing protested
Rourkela: Members of Rourkela District Congress Committee (RDCC) on Sunday burnt the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh at Uditnagar to protest the killing of agitating farmers at Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh. Among others, RDCC president Biren Senapati and former Congress MLA Pravat Mohapatra described the BJP government as anti-farmer and flayed the MP police for not allowing AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi visit Mandsaur. They said that all demands of farmers across the country, including loan waiver, be fulfilled.
Hanging fire
Birsa Munda stadium remains half-constructed
Expansion projects of Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) are stuck at different stages of processing
Mega UIDSSMT water project, housing scheme for slum dwellers, 20,000 apartments of RDA yet to materialise
Solid waste treatment plant proposal gathering dust
BPUT’s campus work has been going on for 14 years
No progress on the outreach campus of XIMB at Rourkela after more than two years
Upgradation of IGH into Super Speciality Hospital and Medical College pending
Expansion of NH-143, construction of second Brahmani bridge too pending