The State Government has rejected Union Tribal Affairs Minister and Sundargarh MP Jual Oram’s proposal for exclusion of Jagda Gram Panchayat from the Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) and inclusion of laltanki, Construction Colony, Modern India, Tangarpali, luakera, Tumkela in the RMC.
Notably, after receiving some representation of Samanvaya Committee of Jagda gram panchayat in Sundargarh district that locals in the area have been included in RMC in violation of PESA Act, 1996, the Union Minister urged the State Housing and Urban Development Minister to examine the matter afresh with regard to Orissa Municipal Corporation Act, 2003 and PESA Act, 1996 so that grievances of people who are unwilling to join RMC can be redressed in an appropriate manner.
State Housing and Urban Development Minister Puspendra Singh Deo in a letter to the Union Minister said the Jagda and Jhartarang Gram Panchayats have been in corporated in the RMC area being adjacent villages to the RMC having urban characteristics. Accordingly, the Governor has declared the Rourkela Municipality along with adjacent villages as larger Urban Area.
As regards laltanki, Construction Colony, Hamirpur etc, the letter said these area comes under Rourkela Industrial Township and the Rourkela Steel plant Authority is not willing to hand over the said area to the Government, keeping in view the proposed expansion of RSP in future. But as per the terms and conditions, it is the responsibility of the RSP (SAIl) to provide all basic amenities to the people of said area.