BARGARH: Bargarh MP Pradeep Purohit has sought a special development package for Padampur sub-division, similar to the KBK special development programme, citing the region’s recurring water crisis and limited livelihood opportunities.
Sharing details of the demand on Monday, Purohit said he submitted a letter to Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman during his recent visit to New Delhi, seeking her intervention into the matter.
In the letter, Purohit has requested the Union minister to extend special package to Padampur sub-division covering the six blocks of Paikmal, Padampur, Jharabandh, Sohela, Bijepur and Gaisilet. The MP urged Sitharaman to accord in-principle approval to the package and provide a suitable allocation in the forthcoming Union Budget or through a supplementary demand for grants.
He also sought authorisation for the Odisha government, through the Bargarh district administration, to prepare and submit a detailed project report (DPR) with sector-wise development proposals and financial estimates for consideration by the Centre.
Purohit highlighted the region’s recurring drought, inadequate irrigation and drinking water facilities, declining groundwater levels and limited livelihood opportunities.
He further pointed out that Padampur’s agriculture-dependent economy suffers from crop failures, indebtedness and seasonal migration, while industrial development remains minimal due to the absence of agro-processing industries, MSME clusters and food-processing units.
Pointing to Padampur’s location along the Chhattisgarh border, the MP sought focused central investment in infrastructure and connectivity. “The proposed package could cover irrigation, drinking water, watershed development, groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting, rural connectivity, agro-processing, MSMEs, skill development, healthcare, education, digital infrastructure and climate-resilient agriculture,” he said.
Purohit further hoped that the dedicated package would address the sub-division’s long-standing developmental deficits while improving irrigation, agricultural productivity, employment and industrial growth, and help reduce regional disparities in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat in 2047.