BJP Odisha spokesperson and former Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly Rama Chandra Panda has alleged that the State Government is befooling the people of Ganjam district about the Tata Gopalpur project.
Panda said the Government had signed memorandum on August 28, 1995 and then acquired around 3,000 acres of land for setting up of a steel plant. “It is going to complete 20 years on next month, but nothing has happened in the vast land. The delay proved the State Government’s ineffectiveness to materialise a plan,” he added.
He said most of the land losers along with local youths had high hope from the Government and the company to get jobs in the proposed steel plant, but it remained in pen and paper only.
Panda alleged that the Government has engaged the Tata Company to distribute Aahar (low cost meal) and setting up of medical instead of imposing pressure on the company to start project in the acquired land. “I along with the people of the project area want the State and the company to clarify about the exact date of launching the project,” he added.