Report by Badal Tah; Rayagada, December 19: Sri N Bhakar Rao, MP, Rajya Sabha, who hails from Rayagada, recently presented his score card before the local media. During briefing the press as a part of 5T Mantra conceived by Naveen Government, he pointed out a few vital issues on which questions were raised in the Parliament. As they are not the party in power in Central Government, who has primary responsibility for realisation of the problems, he tried his level best to follow up the matters with the concerned ministries. “In the interest of the state we need to ally with NDA and at times, confront also. Nevertheless we maintain equidistance from both NDA & UPA. As far as Rayagada is concerned, I am in constant touch with the Central Ministers in taking up the local vital issues with them. Though the social media has become very powerful, it needs to be sensitive and cross check before projecting any local issue & action thereof. They should not spread misinformation, which could be disastrous for the entire society”, he said.
He expressed his concern over the displacement of thousands of families due to establishment of a railway division at Rayagada. As there is no govt land in Rayagada Municipality, he requested the ministry to rehabilitate these poor families in the land near Rayagada town in exchange of State Govt’s land elsewhere within the periphery of the division. Discussion was on regarding Therubali-Gunupur-Gopalpur railway line and soon it would be a reality.
He had initiated efforts since 2011 & again in 2014 to establish a medical college in Rayagada. His Govt has already written to GOI for two medical colleges in Kandhamal & Kalahandi. Minister, MLA and other leaders from Rayagada had already met the CM and requested him to pursue the matter with GOI for a medical college in Rayagada, which is an aspirational district and fulfils all the criteria to have one. A team from Rayagada would meet the CM and other authorities on 27 December. He asserted that a medical college was need of the hour and it would certainly be established in the near future.
He was anguished about the name sake functioning of Cotton Corporation of India(CCI) branch at Rayagada. Thousands of tribals, small & marginal farmers are involved in the cotton cultivation. In stead of facilitating marketing of cotton with MSP, it functions as a broking entity. He has been assured by the concerned central minister to act on the issues of godown, quick procurement & timely payment to the farmers.
After approval by Tribal Advisory Committee(TAC), the CM has already recommended to GOI to include nine communities including Jhodias of Rayagada in ST list since 2009. The Highg Powered Committee during 2014, in principle, had already approved it. But unfortunately they could not be recognised as STs. As a collective, Odisha MPs will take up this issue seriously during the next budget session in Parliament, Rao said.
With his intervention, Palasa-Bhawanipatna road had been declared as NH-126, which would pass through several important places like Gunupur, Ramanaguda, Bissam Cuttack, Muniguda, etc. He reiterated that passing of NH-326 inside Rayagada town boomed the local business. The bypass had been meticulously planned and the work was in progress.
“I will fight for the due rights of Odisha, particularly, Rayagada in the Parliament and beyond. The facts must be placed before the citizens and media has a greater role to play and provide feedbacks of the people, carry the voice to the people’s representatives in a constructive manner”, suggested Rao.
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