Patrapur: Even as some villages of this block geographically belong to Orissa, the Andhra Pradesh government is making all-out efforts to lay claim on these areas taking advantage of the alleged neglect by the state government, a report said Tuesday.
The AP government taking advantage of lack of development in these villages is trying to woo these villagers by showering largess on them. Some of the villages bordering Andhra Pradesh are in Buratal, Tumba, Ambapur, Gundra, Khambaringa, Barang, Kesharipada, B Nuagaon, Gudipadar panchayats of the block.
Sources said the Andhra government has now set its sights on Gudikhala village under Buratal panchayat of the block dominated by tribals. It has taken up several developmental works in the village to woo villagers to its fold.
The AP government has included all families under the Food Security Act and supplied power to all houses in the village. All the families regularly receive their rations every month from AP while they receive the rations and pensions from their own panchayats in four months.
Some of the beneficiaries like Lakshman Sabar, Jhampuri Sabar and others are said to be receiving Rs 300 as pension from the state while they receive Rs 1000 from the neighbouring state. The AP government has even laid a good road to the village till Kalinga Dala reservoir and offer free healthcare at Siripur health centre. The ASHA worker from AP also regularly visits the village and gives free vaccinations to kids, the villagers said.
Many of the villagers have three voter identity cards. These villagers despite having voter identity cards of Buratal panchayat under Patrapur block have been provided with similar identity cards of Gudikhali village under Gangabada panchayat of Rayagada block in neighbouring Gajapati district.
The AP government has also provided them voter identity cards showing them as residents of Kurudalur village under Mushamandal Budasing panchayat in Srikakulam district.
The AP government has provided them with ration cards, pensions, health insurance cards. The villagers alleged they have been deprived of welfare benefits despite their names figuring in two blocks of the state.
What is more surprising is that the AP government gave away work order for construction of houses under Indira Awas Yojana to 24 of 27 tribal families in the village.
The contractor has laid the foundation of these houses and is yet to start work. Meanwhile, the Patrapur block administration has started construction of Indira Awas houses sanctioned to four tribals. When contacted, sub-collector Siddharth Shankar Swain said a team from the district administration will visit the village Wednesday to take stock of the situation. PNN
