To celebrate the Utkal Divas and District Foundation Day on Friday, the district administration here had arranged several cultural programmes. But people are still not happy with the progress card of the district in the last 23 years. The district was formed in 1993.
The coastal district, which played a major role in the State politics, has been well-neigh ignored. Except constructing some roads, bridges and stadia along with implementing some Government sponsored housing schemes, no eye –catching development took place.
There is still no industry in the district and its economy is totally based on agriculture. Besides, it is the home to frequent natural calamities. No effective flood control measures were taken up to stop the annual flood in the district. Only 35 per cent of agriculture fields are irrigated.
Former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, during the 90s, had dreamt of setting up the second mega steel plant of the State at Kendrapada in order to develop his favourite electoral district. And in this regard, late Bijubabu had also selected a site from Haldiagada to Naladiagada, which is situated near the Paradip-Daitary Express Highway, to set up a steel plant keeping in mind that the transport of the goods will be made through NH-5(A) and through Paradip port. But ironically, Bijubabu’s dream in this regard is yet to be fulfilled.
According to intellectual masses, rapid growth in agriculture was seen during implementation of the first Five Year plan in the district. But after that the growth of economy on agriculture decreased slowly due to flood, cyclone and drought in regular intervals. The Pattamundai canal and the Kendrapada canal, which were established during the British era in 1885 by the British Irrigation Company, are lying defunct as the longevity of the canals was 100 years.
Several villages are still waiting to get electricity through rural electrification schemes. The drinking water scarcity situation is also grim in the coastal villages of the district as hundreds of villages under 26 gram panchayats are yet to get potable water supply. Communication facility is yet to be developed and the riverside villagers still depend on ferry service.
Most of the doctors and para medical staff posts are vacant in the district hospitals due to slipshod attitude of the State Government.
Though the denizens have brought the matter before the State Health Department, local Ministers, MP and MlAs, but in vain, alleged the District Citizen Forum.
On the other hand, the senior officials of the district hand in glove with the political leaders are looting the Government doles meant for poverty stricken people. Whether it is the Revenue Department or the Police, the officials are dancing to the tune of the people’s representatives of the ruling party and have allegedly become an instrument for all illegal works.
Schemes like the IAY, MPlAD and Gopabandhu Gramin Yojana have become an instrument for corruption with several irregularities being committed. locals blamed that the political leaders and the MlAs of the district have failed to raise their voice.