BJP Krushak Morcha president and former MLA Pradeep Purohit on Thursday demanded that the Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) be made an autonomous body and allocated Rs 1,000 crore every year.
Purohit said the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has in its report revealed that western Odisha has not witnessed much development and the WODC has stood on the way.
“Only 11.80% of funds were utilized for irrigation development between 2015 and 2018. While 193 private educational institutions were to get assistances from MP and MLA LAD funds, the WODC illegally gave Rs 9.11 crore to them between 2014 and 2018. Out of Rs 409.62 crore sanctioned for backward blocks in 2016-18, only Rs 183.41 crore has been released. Education, health and infrastructure sectors have witnessed little development,” alleged Purohit quoting CAG report.
He wanted to know why the Gangadhar Meher Irrigation Project has not progressed even as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had made promise in this regard during the Bijepur by-poll.
“If the State Government has little concern for western Odisha, it should provide autonomy to the WODC and provide Rs 1,000 crore each year,” demanded Purohit.