The residents of Kuchinda, a backward subdivision of the State with more than 80 per cent tribal and SC population, are now demanding for a separate district.
They allege that due to distance factor, the sub division is remaining backward and hardly getting the benefit of the welfare activities of both the State and the Central Governments.
It is further a fact that negligence is grossly made to the sub division since long. The political leaders also hardly bother for its development and hence, it is continuing as an under developed area decades and decades after independence.
“Hence, we demand tribal district for this sub division to bring about progress,” said Swapneswar Kissan, the president of the action committee in a meeting held to demand the district tag recently.
Three blocks coming under the sub division such as Kuchinda, Jamankira and Bamra also feel the pinch of negligence and backwardness. At the same time, 85 km distance from the district headquarters of Sambalpur is also another hindrance for the area. And, hardly do any senior officers visit the sub division on regular basis to review the developmental activities paving the way for corruption, Kissan alleged further.
The sub division is mostly a non-irrigated area and hence, the farmers mainly depend on rain water for agricultural activities. Forest resources are the other major source of livelihood. But rampant deforestation is also an added problem, now that it deprives people of earning their traditional way of living.
It needs further mention that in 1994 when Biju Patnaik was the Chief Minister, he included the Kuchinda sub division under the new Deogarh district. But people of the sub division virulently protested it and made strong demand to remain under Sambalpur like before. But due to lack of developmental activities, the same people are now demanding a new tribal district for them.