BHUBANESWAR: Members cutting across party lines on Saturday demanded that the state government should increase the allocation for Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) as provision of Rs 100 crore is inadequate to take care of the developmental needs of 11 districts under the organisation.
The issue came up for discussion through adjournment motion notice brought by Congress members.
Participating in the discussion, leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Narasingh Mishra said the Government should take steps to ensure that the backward Western and Southern regions of the State get special attention under Article 371 of the Constitution.
When backward regions of Maharashtra, Gujarat and North Eastern States get special attention under Article 371 of the Constitution, Odisha Government should also make efforts so that poverty-stricken areas also get similar facilities, he said.
Stating that the allocation of Rs 100 crore for WODC when Annual Budget of Odisha is over Rs 1.4 lakh crore is inadequate, Mishra said the Council, which covers one-third of State’s geographical area, has one fourth of the State’s population.
“The 11 districts under WODC and eight in KBK (Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput) region are known for their poverty,” he said. Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja criticised the Government for the delay in fixing headquarters of WODC and said no steps have been initiated in this regard even after so many years of formation of the council.
He also demanded that the allocation for WODC should be increased and all MLAs irrespective of party affiliations should be made members of the council. His party colleague Tara Prasad Bahinipati demanded that allocation for WODC should be increased to at least Rs 1,000 crore.
Making a statement in response, Minister for Planning and Convergence Padmanabha Behera agreed that Rs 100 crore is a small amount for the development of 11 districts under WODC.
He said the department will draw attention of the Chief Minister to this before next Budget. He, however, said major critical gaps are being filled with the funds allocated for WODC.
“The Government has allocated Rs 1,562.64 crore for the development of western districts of Odisha since the inception of WODC in 1999,” he said and added that headquarters of the WODC is functioning from Bhubaneswar as there is no unanimity over the issue in Western Odisha region. He, however, maintained that issue is under the active consideration of the Government.
BJD members Rohit Pujari, Snehangini Chhuria and others claimed that WODC has been helpful in removing regional imbalances and sought more funds for the developmental activities in the region.