No unanimity on WODC headquarters

Courtesy:-Express News Service (TNIE)

The outgoing chairperson of the Western Orissa Development Council (WODC) Dr Niranjan Panda on Friday said there is lack of unanimity among the politicians from the area about the location of the council headquarters.

Addressing a news conference here, Panda said though he convened four meetings during his tenure to try and settle the issue, politicians from different Western Orissa districts differed. He, however, said the Council has no dearth of funds to take up development projects.

The budget of WODC has gone up to Rs 100 crore and it gets additional funds from the State Government for development of the KBK, he said.

Panda announced that perspective plan of Rs 300 crore for the next three years has been drawn up by the Council. This includes Rs 114 crore for irrigation, lift irrigation and rainwater management, Rs 13.5 crore for provision of drinking water, Rs 13.6 crore for electricity, Rs 45 crore for roads and communication, Rs 32 crore for health, Rs 60 crore for education, Rs 5 crore for Centre for Development Studies, Rs 9 crore for Agriculture Machinery Hiring Project and Rs 8 crore for agropolytechnic.

Stating that during the last five years several steps have been initiated to bridge the regional disparity, Panda said steps have been started for establishment of three medical colleges. He hoped that admission into the medical college at Jarring in Kalahandi district would start from the next academic year. Similarly, admission for the medical college at Rourkela, established by WODC, will also start from the next academic year. A decision on establishment of medical college at Balangir will be taken soon, he said.

Panda said steps have been initiated by the Council to improve health infrastructure in the area. Work for establishment of a nursing school at Sundargarh has already started. Funds have been sanctioned for establishment of diagnostic centres at Balangir, Deogarh, Sambalpur and Sonepur, he said.

It has been decided that funds will be provided for increasing the number of beds and cabins in Boudh and Deogarh district hospitals. Besides, 50-bed hospitals will be set up at ThuamulRampur in Kalahandi district, Koida in Sundargarh district and Chantipali in Jharsuguda district with private participation. An eye hospital will be set up by the WODC in partnership with Lepra India, he said and added the site for this will be identified soon.

Panda said steps have also been taken to improve infrastructure in the education sector. Assistance is also being given to private schools for construction of additional classrooms, laboratories, libraries and toilets, he said.

CBI forms special team to probe NREGS scam in KBK region

Courtesy:- Daily Pioneer

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the NREGS bungling in Odisha.

CBI Director AP Singh, after receiving the notification of the Union Government’s Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), has formed the SIT, which is to be headed by a senior Joint Director of the Central agency. Sources said Singh has directed the SIT to begin its job with immediate effect.

NREGS irregularities have taken place in Odisha’s six most backward districts of Balangir, Kalahandi, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Nuapada and Rayagada, which comprise the KBK belt known for its hunger deaths. Delhi-based Centre for Environment and Food Security (CEFS), which had conducted a survey in various districts, focused its attention on these districts.

The CEFS filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court pointing out serious irregularities in the utilisation of NREGS funds allocated by the Centre for the State. The apex court directed the Union Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) to allow the CBI for a detailed probe into the matter.

After the MoRD sought consent of the Government of Odisha, the latter issued a notification consenting to a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in the six districts pinpointed in a PIL filed in the Supreme Court. Once the MoRD received the consent, it wanted a detailed notification by the DoPT.

The DoPT on May 2 notified that the CBI would investigate the alleged large-scale irregularities, misappropriation and diversion of the Central Government funds allocated to the State during 2006-07 for 100 villages of the six KBK districts.

The SIT would find out any attempt, abatement and conspiracy in relation to or in connection with the alleged offences committed in the course of the same transaction or arising out of the same facts, said CBI sources. In the meantime, CBI Joint Director OP Galhotra is in touch with the State Chief Secretary BK Patnaik in the matter, said sources in the State Government.