WODC - Rehabilitation centre for defeated BJD politians ?

Jaikosal.com breaking news :-

Today Padmini Sekhar Deo, W/o - Late. Bharatendra Sekher. Deo, Ex- MLA, At –. New. Palace,Sundergarh has been appointed as the chairperson of Western Orissa Development Council (WODC).

Questions are being raised over the relevance of the Western Orissa Development Council (WODC) which was formed to correct the regional imbalance existing in Orissa.

Rather than functioning to assist in the development of the backward Western Orissa districts, its core constituency, the council has now become a rehabilitation centre for defeated ruling party politicians and others whom the powers-that-be want to keep in good humour.

While funding and utilisation system of the Council have come under criticism, the lack of interest on the part of the State Government for further strengthening the organisation has also been disapproved by many. The Council was formed on July 3, 1999. But in 12 years of its existence, no noteworthy project has been implemented.

Three proposed medical colleges by the WODC at Bhawanipatna, Rourkela and Balangir have not progressed beyond the drawing board stage. “The WODC has failed to live up to its expectations during its 12 years of existence so far,” first chairman of the Council and senior Congress leader Narsingh Mishra said.

Funds are being spent on the recommendations of the ruling party MPs, MLAs and leaders, Mishra said and added there is no development agenda before the Council.

The Congress leader said as the Council was formed to bridge regional imbalance, a survey should be undertaken to identify very backward areas where projects should be taken up. But funds are being spent in relatively developed areas because of recommendations of some ruling party leader, MP or MLA, he lamented.

BJP Legislature Party Leader from� Patnagarh KV Singhdeo alleged that the Council had been turned into a platform for also-rans of the ruling party. Attempts are also being made to create a parallel power centre through the Council, he said.

Strongly disapproving the practice of nominating ruling party leaders as expert members, Singhdeo said this had defeated the very purpose of the body. Technical experts should be from a particular field and not politicians, he said.

Defeated BJD candidate in the 2009 Lok Sabha election Hameed Hussein, who is also a member of the Council, also maintained that the funding pattern needs to be changed. The Council should spend in the fields of agriculture and education without wasting money on small projects, he said and added a decision should be taken in this regard soon.

But the importance given to the WODC, or the lack of it, by the powers-that-be can be gauged from the fact that for the last two months the post of chairperson is lying vacant. Sources said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is yet to decide whether to nominate a politician, a bureaucrat or an expert to the post.

(News Source IBNLIVE.com)

Kosli Sambalpuri Drama "MAU" set to enter LIMCA BOOK OF RECORDS

Kosli Sambalpuri Drama "MAU" is all set to enter Limca Book Of Records. This Maha Natak is to be organized on 8th and 9th April 2011 by Nabjeevan Cultural Group Sundergarh said it's president Sri Pradip Bhol.

The specialty of this drama is that it will be performed live by 100 artists over an area of 11,000 square foot (i.e an adivasi village will constructed specially for this drama).

This will be the largest open air drama ever performed in India.

Mau is the story of problem and negligence faced by the innocent tribals by the state administration and how they are lure by the maoist to join the cadre.This drama will look at the other side of an innocent tribal and how unknowingly he was forced to took arm .....

Newspaper Cutting Courtesy :- Janamukha

11 migrant labourers from Sundargarh killed in Goa Cyclone

As many as 11 migrant labourers from Sundergarh district were killed in the cyclone that hit Goa
recently. There is, however, no news about the whereabouts of 20 others who had gone from the district to work in fishing trawlers in that state.

Sundergarh-based NGO Helpline said it was coordinating between an NGO in Goa and villagers to gather news of the migrants. "We have identified 11 victims so far and informed their families," Helpline member U K Bhitiria said. "We are in contact with the NGOs in Goa and the administration there to trace the whereabouts of 20 others from Sundergarh district. They have been missing for several days now and we are afraid that they too may have died during the cyclone," Bhitiria added.

The deceased have been identified as Chitrasen Gahar, Dilip Gahar, Rajib Gahar, Nanda Gahar, Jagidish Kisan, Lokeswar Rana, Jagdish Nayak, P Palsen, Bali Kumar, Rasjesh Tirkey and Netra Bhoi. All of them were in the age group of 25 to 35 years and belonged to extremely poor families.

Grief descended on the victims' villages in Subdega and Balisankara blocks after confirmation of the deaths started pouring in from Tuesday.

The tragedy has once again turned the spotlight on the plight of migrant labourers from Orissa. Low employment opportunities force hundreds of poor people, including women, from the district to search for greener pastures in other parts of the country every year. The administration, however, has no information on the migrants and therefore fails to take prompt action during a tragedy such as the Goa cyclone.

The district administration, however, argued that it was not possible to keep track of the migrant labourers. "Many natives of Sundergarh district work as labourers in several projects in Mumbai and Goa. These migrants move to different places for earning their livelihood without information. We therefore don't have records of their whereabouts," an official said on condition of anonymity.

Source:Times of India (Dt.18 November 2009)