Regional Disparity: Panel Report Gathers Dust

The Mohanty Commission, set up by the State Government on February 20, 2004, had submitted its report on August 6, 2008

BHUBANESWAR:  Even as the State Government claims to have taken several steps to address the issue of regional imbalance, the report of retired Justice SK Mohanty in this regard is gathering dust for the last seven years.

The Mohanty Commission was set up by the State Government on February 20, 2004. The Commission had submitted its report on August 6, 2008. However, the report is yet to be placed in the Assembly as it is under the consideration of a sub-committee for the last seven years.

The sub-committee has met only four times during the period in 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2015.

The fate of other commissions of inquiry instituted by the State Government during the last years is more or less similar. The State Government had set up 15 commissions of inquiry during the period on which Rs10.58 crore has been spent so far. However, only six of them have submitted their reports while the State Government has placed only two of them in the Assembly with action taken reports (ATRs).

The State Government had set up a commission of inquiry on Kalinga Nagar firing in January, 2006. However, the probe panel is yet to submit its report though Rs1.65 crore has been spent on it. The inquiry panel was headed by three justices of the High Court. But it is yet to complete its probe.

Similarly, the State Government had constituted retired justice Basudev Panigrahi commission on December 29, 2007 to probe into violence in Kandhamal district after attack on Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. The Commission is yet to submit its report even after seven years and expenditure of Rs2.2 crore on it.

Another Commission of inquiry was set up to probe into the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four others on August 23, 2008 is also yet to submit its report. Official sources said the State Government has already spent Rs1.73 crore on this probe panel.

The Government is also trying to suppress the report of the State Agriculture Commission headed by former chief secretary SM Patnaik though farmers’ suicide continues unabated in the State.