Guv visits Rayagada, sanctions 25K to a destitute woman:  Sarpanch expresses her anguish over several development deficits

Dr.Badal Tah,Odishabarta

Rayagada, December 23: To upkeep the special powers in the governance of tribal areas coming in Schedule -V areas under the Constitution of India, last Friday Governor Raghubar Das  visited tribal villages of Rayagada and interacted with tribal women and men, farmers, SHG members, PRI members on central government schemes. After the carcade of the Guv reached Gumma GP, he interacted with the three women SHG members and advised them to produce quality products and adhere to branding them for value addition. He advocated “Local for Vocal” theme professed by Modi Govt.

Tribal woman Sarpanch of Gumma named Sabita Praska expressed her anguish over the deficits of development programmes in her panchayat. “Though elected for second term as Sarpanch, grievances placed before district administration are hardly heard. Though I was instrumental in the ground breaking ceremony of LACCMI bus scheme by breaking a coconut in my GP, the buses hardly go to many villages of the panchayats except the main road. Unfortunately, the school students are charged Rs.20 per trip, which they can not afford.

Old persons face extreme difficulty in reaching the panchayat headquarters to collect pension of mere Rs.500 after spending Rs.100 to Rs.200 on conveyance. Drinking water in the nearby school is infested with worms. In spite of placing grievance before district administration for roads for last several years, it has fallen to deaf ears. As a people’s representative, I am really sorry and anguished”, lamented Sabita. He was seen denying a lady teacher and ORMAS worker to refrain from prompting & disturbing while the Sarpanch Sabita was directly interacting with him.

Another woman named Lalita Bidika said that her child suffered with sickle cell anaemia, mother-in-law had paralysis, husband wass disabled. All her time is spent taking care of the family members. Even if she wants to earn by going outside, she is undone and does not know what scheme is meant to help her. Guv Das responded to her empathetically by saying that Modi Govt has declared this district as aspirational as this is a backward district. On the spot he sanctioned an assistance of ₹.25000 to the said woman to initiate some petty business and instructed Collector Swadha Dev Singh to follow up the case. Then Guv briefly said about the Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) of Modi Govt and some special schemes like Viksit Bharat Yatra, PM Jan Man Yojana for tribal areas.

When this correspondent asked a local tribal youth the name of the Governor, he could not say; but swiftly said the name of the Sarpanch and said that our Sarpanch is our Governor and it was unfortunate that she was not given a place on the dais. 

Then Guv went to Halua village to interact with farmers, who presented their agonies about irrigation. He then inaugurated a few houses constructed under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana(PMAY) in Chintaluguda and addressed the villagers. He expressed his dissatisfaction when the PD, DRDA reported that 5000 PMAY houses are complete out of sanctioned 26000, which is 19%. Here the local Sarpanch was seen sharing dais with the Guv. 

Continuing the marathon visits, he then interacted with students of Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya (OAV) at Tadama and Ekalavya Model Residential School(EMRS) at Barijhola. His visit culminated after offering prayers at Maa Majhighariani & Jagannath Temples after visiting the Community Health Centre at Jimidipeta.

The law and order was maintained under the leadership of SP Vivekananda Sharma and Additional SP Bishnu Patra. “His personal secretary Himanshu Pattanaik, an upright officer, who was earlier at Rayagada as a Tehsildar, accompanied the Guv throughout his visit and was seen taking notes of the issues raised by locals. It is expected that Pattanaik will collate those issues for further action at Guv’s level. It was a fruitful visit as people vented their grievances and achievements through yet another very powerful instrument”, said Simanchal Panda, a Social Worker of Rayagada.