BHUBANESWAR: The state government must expeditious steps for formation of Southern Odisha Development Council (SODC) to accelerate the pace of development in the region, said BJD Rajya Sabha MP Munna Khan on Friday.
Addressing the annual body meeting of the Dakhina Odisha Unnayana Parishad here, Khan, who hails from Nabarangpur district, said its high time the state government forms a council and draws up long-term plans for development of all the districts in south Odisha.
The Parishad members said that the people of the southern districts of Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal are still deprived of their fare share of development.
“These districts together have 83 blocks, 1,545 panchayats, 23 notified area councils and one municipal corporation. Around 32 MLA represent south Odisha in the Assembly, while five MPs are also elected to Lok Sabha from the region. South Odisha is home to around 1.03 crore population. It is rich in culture, tradition and natural resources but has been languishing as one of the most backward regions in the country,” said Parishad president and BJD leader Bhrugu Baxipatra.
Baxipatra said Koraput and Rayagada districts in the region have the highest bauxite deposits in the entire continent and help in generating significant revenue for the state exchequer, yet the districts are still not part of the mainstream. “The southern districts have one of the lowest railway network density in the country. The region also has the lowest telecom network and electricity supply. We have even failed in addressing the issues of Polavaram and Kotia which have persisted for years,” Baxipatra said.
He said though state government has formed a task force for Northern Odisha Development Council, nothing has done for SODC, which has also got in-principle approval.
Paralakhemundi MLA Rupesh Kumar Panigrahi and Parishad secretary Bipin Bihari Panda also spoke.