Undivided Koraput needs special attentions: Experts

Uttam Nayak,Odishabarta

Koraput:Undivided Koraput district has not made the progress the pace it should have. In the recently released Niti Aayog National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), Nabarangpur, Malkangiri Koraput and Rayagada have fared very badly.

According to Niti Aayog MPI, Odisha is among bottom ranked states in its first-ever National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) with 29.35 per cent marked as poor. What is quite disconcerting is that Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada are lagging far behind in comparison to the remaining districts.

Nabarangpur has the highest poverty rate of 59.32 per cent followed by Malkangiri (58.71 per cent), Rayagada (48.14 per cent) and Koraput (51.4 per cent).

Kalahandi in western Odisha has a worrying poverty rate of 48.14 per cent while Kandhamal in central part of the state has 44.75 per cent poor.

Mayurbhanj, a tribal dominated district in north Odisha, has 44.90 per cent poor. What is quite surprising is that the mineral-rich Keonjhar district also battles abject poverty. It has a 41.78 per cent population struggling under impoverishment.

Puri in coastal district has the lowest 11.64 per cent poor while Jagatsinghpur has got a poverty rate of 11.83 per cent. Khurda (15.49 per cent), Cuttack (16.62 per cent) and Jharsuguda (16.62 per cent) are the other three districts which have below 20 per cent poverty rates.

A careful examination of the Niti Ayog MPI findings reveals wide regional disparity in Odisha. Mostly, the tribal dominated districts have been left out of most development parameters.

Several distinguished personalities on Thursday discussed at a seminar on organized by New Delhi’s Centre for Socio-Economic Studies (CSES) – about the worrisome poverty rates in the four districts of undivided Koraput district and observed that political classes, policy makers and intellectuals must delve deeper into the reasons of the impoverishment of the region and agree on a common strategies – both short-term and long-term – to lift the Koraput people from the morass of poverty.

Speaking on the occasion, noted social activist Umi Daniel, said….

Dr Ramachandra Behera, a Zilla Parishad member, said poverty in Koraput region can be ameliorated only when the politicians and policymakers work in consultation with the elected people’s representatives. “Since elected people’s representatives work with the people and they are immersed with the plights problems of the people at the grassroots, their opinion and suggestions will help the policymakers and administrators to make right decisions and take appropriate interventions,” said Dr Behera.

Dr Ratikanta Khatua of Koraput, observed that….

Mr Akshaya Kumar Sahoo, senior journalist and CSES national advisor, said researchers and development activists working in Koraput region must bring into light the plights and problems of the people at the grassroots that will guide the politicians and policymakers to come out with effective interventions to eradicate the poverty and herald a new dawn.

More than one hundred intellectuals joined the seminar and shared their valuable thoughts.