Kosal Discussion and Development Forum

Stepmotherly treatment to Western Odisha: Sambalpur Congress MP Amar Pradhan

February 8, 2011 at 2:24 pm sanjibkarmee Leave a comment

Follwoing is from The Pioneer:

Sambalpur Congress MP Amar Pradhan on Sunday accused the State Government of “step-motherly attitude” towards western Odisha resulting in intra-State regional disparity. He was participating in a ‘Meet the Press’ programme of the Sambalpur Press Club. Sufficient fund is coming to Sambalpur for developmental works. Whatever fund is allotted for the region, hardly 50 per cent of it is spent, he said.

He further alleged that the post of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) of the Northern Division is deliberately kept vacant to give the local industries an upper hand in revenue matters. This shows “the love of the State Government for the industries,” which are behaving arbitrarily, he remarked.

Pradhan pointed out that the RDC is the chairman of the Periphery Development Committee that looks into problems of the land oustees and all other problems of the division comprising as many as 10 districts. The RDC also directly interferes in the illegal activities of the industries. But going to help the industries, the State Government has kept this important post vacant almost for a year, he said. He also expressed concern over the affairs of the Burla-based VSS Medical College. “The Medical Council of India (MCI) withdrew the enhanced 43 seats in MBBS degree from this college. But due to our intervention, the MCI gave conditional permission. However, the State Government is yet to fulfil the relevant conditions, for which the medical college may face a similar problem at any point of time,” he said.

Pradhan also said State Government has no sincerity to establish a High Court Bench here. When the Union Law minister has already given his consent for a High Court Bench at Sambalpur, the State Government is yet to express similar promptness, he alleged.

He also expressed his utter dissatisfaction over the pollution made by the industries of Sambalpur and Jharsuguda districts and, particularly, by those established on SH-10 beginning from Rengali to Jharsuguda. “I will bring this matter to the notice of the State Government,” he said.President and secretary of the Press Club Arjun Ranjan Panda and Prafulla Dash, respectively, and other members were present and interacted with the MP.

Entry filed under: Athmallik, Balangir, Bargarh, Boudh, Deogarh, Health Care Facility, Jharsuguda, Judicial and Legal Service, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Permanent bench of the High Court, Region watch, Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Sundergarh, VSS Medical College.