KORAPUT: When Koraput BJD MP Jhina Hikaka adopted Pitaguda panchayat in Semiliguda block under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) in 2015, the people looked forward to a wave of developmental works that would transform their lives.Three years on, all their dreams have petered out. With only a couple of months of his term remaining, they are yet to have a glimpse of their MP, let alone initiation of any project for development of their villages.
Despite being located only about 30 km from the district headquarters Koraput, 10 km from Semiliguda block headquarters and adjacent to the State Highway, Pitaguda has been out of the development map for decades. With 769 households and a population of nearly 3000, majorly tribals and scheduled caste, the panchayat comprising three revenue villages has been languishing in absence of basic infrastructure and amenities.
The villages are yet to have any internal road despite the rural road programmes, no piped water supply, primary health care facility or proper educational institution.
The Pitaguda upper primary school with 350 students has only two teachers.Talking to a research team from Tezpur University of Assam who have been deployed to evaluate the SAGY implementation under Union Ministry of Rural Development, the villagers lamented the failure of the MP to bring about any development in his adopted panchayat.
“We came to know of the SAGY programme and adoption of our panchayat by the MP as late as 2017. But till date, there is no sign of any project being initiated by him for development of the villages. Not a single penny has been funded by the MP from his MPLAD funds,” said Subhadra Nayak, a woman leader of Pitaguda.Hikaka, however, said there was no separate support or special funding for SGAY which made it impossible to concentrate on a particular panchayat.
“The programme is creating differences between panchayats and thus I did not pursue it,” he reasoned.
The Opposition attacked the MP for neglecting his adopted village stating that it was due to politics. “Since SAGY has been introduced by a BJP Prime Minister, it has been neglected by the BJD parliamentarian. Public representatives should rise above politics and have a broader sense to serve people and work for their betterment,” former MP and BJP leader Jayram Pangi said.The research team, who interacted with the villagers, said they would submit the status of Pitaguda village to the Union Ministry by December 31.