SAMBALPUR: Residents of Boudh and Nuapada districts had a reason to rejoice as their long-standing demand to be included under Northern Revenue Division (NRD), Sambalpur was fulfilled on Monday. A notification in this regard was issued by the state government.
With the inclusion of the two districts under NRD Sambalpur, the total number of districts under the division rose from 10 to 12. Till now, Boudh and Nuapada were under the Southern Revenue Division, Berhampur.
Convener of Boudh Zilla Vikash Garjan Sena, Balmiki Mahakur said, the inclusion of Boudh in the Northern Revenue Division was a long-pending dream of people. The demand was raised considering the fact that the culture, tradition, lifestyle of the people of Boudh district are similar to that of people of regions under Revenue Divisional Commissioner, Northern Division (RDC,ND).
“This apart, people of Boudh were facing several problems under the Southern Revenue Division, Berhampur as the geographical location was affecting a number of revenue and legal works,” he said.
Berhampur is around 230 km from Boudh district headquarter town, while Sambalpur is just 95 km away. The inclusion of the district under the Northern Revenue Division, Sambalpur will largely benefit the people of Boudh and expedite the development of Boudh district, he added.
Similar sentiments were echoed by the people of Nuapada district. A senior advocate from Nuapada, Muralidhar Panda said, “Nuapada was a sub-division of Sambalpur, between 1936 and 1949. But later when it became a separate district and was included under Southern Revenue Division, Berhampur, people here faced a lot of inconveniences as Nuapada has no connectivity with Berhampur.” The demand was made long back during 1997 to bring it under northern division and finally it happened, Panda said, adding, it is a welcome decision of the state government. The public of Nuapada will now have to travel only 155 km instead of 480 km for their revenue and legal works, he stated.
Earlier, people of Boudh district under the aegis of Boudh Zilla Vikash Garjan Sena had submitted a memorandum to the Odisha chief minister demanding inclusion of the district under the NRD. The Sambalpur district bar association had also demanded the same.