Senior Congress leader and former MlA Pravat Mohapatra has alleged that the BJD Government was neglecting Rourkela for long years.Mohapatra said the Government goes on a stone laying spree every time there is an election. However, subsequently, it tends to forget its promises made to the people.Due to the apathetical attitude of the State Government, the steel city lost many mega projects, Mohapatra said, pointing out the ESI Medical College and Super Specialty Hospital, IIM, Rail Division, full-fledged air port, second bridge over river Brahmani and expansion of NH-143 etc.
Even local youths were denied job opportunity though the Rourkela Steel Plant underwent a modernisation drive of Rs12,000 crore, he lamented.“Work on Rajiv Awas Yojana (Ray) is not yet taken up. Similarly, due to faulty notification for Rourkela Municipal Corporation, the issue has been stayed by the Odisha High Court. After 13 years of formation the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) has not been yet fully functional. Many SSI, MSI and sponge units are either shut down or at the verge of shutdown,” rued Mohapatra.He stated that incapable leadership, ineffective local media and no strong agitation are some of the reasons why Rourkela has been neglected for so long years.