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IIM, grants, agriculture facilities on people’s mind’
Sambalpur, May 26: The expectation of people from Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre has waned during the course of first year of the NDA rule.
If locals are to be believed, the tug of war between the state and the Centre over some issues like setting up of IIM in western Orissa has been a big disappointment for people who expected quick decisions and development after the formation of the NDA government last year.
Locals here believed more Central institutions and projects would be set up in the area while railway projects would also get much needed boost.
People also believed the new Union government would make efforts to get rid of regionalism. But it has not turned out as expected so far, locals said.
While the Central government claims to have laid emphasis on setting up a corruption-free, transparent and fast decision-making government, stoppage of grants to various Central government-sponsored schemes like backward regions grant fund (BRGF) has earned the ire of locals.
According to locals, hike of petroleum products prices has hit all and sundry including farmers while the announcement of compensation to Phailin-hit farmers, hike in minimum support price (MSP) of paddy and subsidy on agricultural loans have not moved announcements.
Similarly, schemes like Pradhan Mantri Krushisinchan Yojana, health cards and easy availability of electricity for farmers and new Urea policy are yet to be implemented.
Orissa Post interacted with some locals to get their views about the performance of NDA government in last one year. Excerpts:
Sushant Singh, MLA, Bhatli: The Centre is clearly politicising the issue of establishment of IIM in Sambalpur. The BRFG grant to western Orissa has also been stopped. On the other hand, not a single road has been laid under PMGSY during 2014-15 fiscal.
Prakash Kumar Hota, district farmers’ representative: Western Orissa is still battling woes of fertilizer scarcity and absence of irrigation facilities. The state of marketing facility for agro products has not changed either. The NDA government has failed in bringing all round development of the western Orissa
Rohit Kumar Pujari, MLA, Rairakhol: Stoppage of grants under Integrated Action Plan has hurt people of western Orissa. Though the state government recommended Sambalpur as one of the suitable locations to set up IIM to the Centre, it is yet to be heeded. The Prime Minister has no time for poor, labourer and common people.
Yogesh Kumar Singh, MLA, Sundargarh: People of tribal community here are a neglected lot even as the tribal affair minister belongs to this region. Youths of the district migrate to other states to work as labourers despite having potential to set up industries here. The Union government is too far away from reality
