Tuesday, October 30, 2007

BJP attacks UPA for ‘negligence’ towards KBK region

The Statesman, Oct 30, 2007
Statesman News Service

BHAWANIPATNA, Oct. 29: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit today played the ‘central negligence’ card.
It urged the state government to focus on education and proper rehabilitation of the displaced people in various industrial projects.
In the two-day state executive meeting which was held here, it was alleged that central government is neglecting NDA ruled states.
It was further alleged in the resolution that the Central government had deprived Orissa from institutions like Central University, IIT and Indian Medical Institute.
It was alleged that even though there is a reduction in kerosene, wheat, sugar and LPG gas quota in Orissa, the Central government neglected the state by not alloting Rs 200 crore Central Relief Assistance to the flood victims of Orissa despite the Prime Minister 's assurance.
It was demanded that they should look into these matters urgently. It was further demanded that the Centre should control the current price rise situation.
Similarly it also demanded the increase of the supporting price of paddy by Rs 1,000 and to provide adequate funds to improve and repair the National Highway which passes through the state.
To include all the districts under village electrification programme and to increase funding to KBK districts which was reduced by 50 per cent by UPA Govt.
Special attentiom would be given to strengthen the party network. Addressing a Press meet, the president of the state BJP unit, Mr Suresh Pujari said that mass agitation would be launched soon against the inaction and negligence of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
The Western Orissa Development Council (WODC) would be made an autonomous with adequate funding. Mr Pujhari also expressed his dissatisfaction about the sorry state of higher education in the state. He called for an improvement in the higher education system. The state government has been requested to post an adequate number of lecturers and to withdraw the block grant system for high schools and colleges and to introduce the regular grant system.
He also stated that Kalahandi district needs special attention, particularly in the field of road communication and education which is in a very sorry state.
Regarding the present industrial policy of the state government, he said that there should be proper rehabilitation measures and the affected people should be given priority.A public meeting was organised on Sunday in the Ghodaghat field of Bhawanipatna where the state level BJP leaders lashed out at the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Mr Vinaya Katiyar, the state president Mr Suresh Pujari, ministers Mr Biswabhusan Harichandan, Mr Manmohan Samal, Mr Sameer Dey, Lok Sabha member Mr Bikaram Keshari Deo, Mr Dharmendra Pradhan, and former Union minister Mr Debendra Pradhan also participated in the commitee meeting.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Uncertainty shrouds fate of medical college at Balangir

The Pioneer, Oct 24, 2007

At a review meeting held in the capital on Monday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed dissatisfaction over the inordinate delays found in the construction works for the medical college and hospital at Balangir by Balaji Education Trust even after the State Government has provided 25 acres of land to the trust for the purpose.

The State Government has issued a notice to the trust to clarify its stand for the hospital within 15 days.

Sources said that Balaji Education Trust had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the State Government for establishing a medical college and hospital with the capacity of 300 beds at Balangir.

The medical college and hospital was to be made with an expenditure of Rs 200 crore on July 6, 2006.

The Government had also signed MoU with two other private companies to set up another two medical colleges, one each at Rourkela and Bhawanipatna.

While the construction work for the medical college of 300 bed capacity at Jaring of Bhawanipatna by Sardar Raja Education Trust has already started with an expenditure of Rs 15 crore, the State Government has provided Rs 4 crore to it.

It is expected that the construction work would be finished in 2007-08 and from 2008-09, enrolment of students would also take place with due permission from the Sambalpur University.

Monday, October 8, 2007

Connect KBK with Rail

Tathya.in, Oct 8, 2007

Bhubaneswar:7/October/2007

Sample the rail infrastructure owes of Orissa!

While the country is set to march ahead with high speed rail and freight corridors, at least seven of the 30 districts of Orissa do not have any rail line passing through them.

The density of railway route length per 1000 sq.km of area in Orissa was only 15.05 km as against 42.66 km in West Bengal and 19.11 km at All India level.

Orissa do not have any of the production unit of Indian Railways.

Under this backdrop office bearers of Orissa Society of the Americas (OSA) have demanded a fair deal for the state in general and KBK in particular.

Presenting a memorandum to the Prime Minister, Pratap Das, President, Asutosh Dutta, Vice-President, Priyadarsan Patra, General Secretary and Sandip K. Dasverma, Treasurer of OSA have urged upon Dr.Man Mohan Singh to bridge the ever expanding gap of rail infrastructure between Orissa and the country.

They have pointed out that backward districts like Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Boudh, Kandhamal, Deogarh, Nayagarh and Kendrapada do not have a single inch of rail line.

While the Railway Ministry has grand plans for the Eleventh Plan period that includes two freight corridors, high speed rail, and metro rail in several areas and it has a budget of Rs 251,000 crores, none of these high flying plans are in Orissa.

We are not in a position to rue over that; rather we, request that when the most backward and poorest of the poor KBK districts should not lag behind due to central apathy.

Non Resident Odiyas (NRO)s have also requested Dr. Montek Singh Alhuwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning commission to give proper funding to the Khurda Road – Balangir, Gunupur--Theruvali, Lanjigarh Road –Bhawanipatna – Junagarh – Nabarangpur, Jeypore – Malkangiri – Bhadrachalam Road (Andhra Pradesh) and (d) Talcher – Bimlagarh rail projects.

OSA has expressed happiness that Indian Railways is already considering lines related to connectivity to ports and mineral transportation such as Talcher-Sukinda Road and Bhadrakh-Dhamara.

But they have pointed out to Dr.Singh to provide better access to KBK area, which is infested by the Left Wing Extremists (LWE).

NROs have impressed upon the Prime Minister to ask the Railway ministry to establish a production unit in the KBK area of Orissa as the raw material requirement of the unit can be taken care by the steel plants and aluminum complexes, which are coming up in the state in a big way.