Though two decades have passed to the formation of the coastal Kendrapada district, which was a favourite electoral constituency and the Karmabhumi of late Biju Patnaik, the area has remained neglected as ever.
The district is yet to have a big industry. However, former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, during the 90s, had dreamt to set up the second mega steel plant of the State in the district. He had also selected a patch of land from Haldiagada to Naladiagada near the Paradip-Daitary
Express way to set up the project keeping in mind that the transport of the goods will be made through NH-5(A) and through the Paradip port.
But ironically, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has failed to fulfill the cherished dream of his late father by setting up an industry in the coastal Kendrapada. Though the BJD Government has signed a number of MoUs with the foreign companies in order to set up plants and industries, no industry has been planned to be set up in Kendrapada, rued the intellectual masses.
The Pattamundai canal and the Kendrapada canal, which were established during the British era by the British irrigation company, are said to be the life line of the farmers. But they are lying defunct now. These canals had longevity of 100 years. Though steps are afoot to renovate the Pattamundai canal but the Kendrapada canal is still lying in a dilapidated condition. Due to lack of irrigation facilities, the farmers have also left farming and the economy of the district has been hit.
To add insult to injury, several interior villages are still awaiting to get electricity and drinking water facilities though Rajiv Gandhi
Rural Electrification Scheme and Biju Jyoti Yojana are in vogue. Over 100 villages in the district are yet to get potable water through pipe line. Communication facilities in the district are yet to be developed while the riverside villagers still depend on boats to connect with the outer world. Most of the doctors and para medical staff posts are lying vacant in the district. Over a decade or so, the anesthesia doctor's post has been lying vacant in the district headquarters hospital for which no surgical operation is being conducted. Though the denizens have brought the matter before the State Health Department, local Ministers, MPs and MlAs to take necessary steps to appoint an anesthesia surgeon in the hospital, but nothing tangible has been done, alleged the District Citizen Forum.
The crime graph in the district has been increasing day by day,whereas gross violation of the human right is found to be a daily affair. The senior officials of the district are hand in glove with the political leaders, thus looting the Government doles meant for the poor. Projects like IAY, MPlAD fund and Gopabandhu Gramin Yojana have become an instrument of corruption, the locals alleged.