Local Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly, Mr. Narasingha Mishra regretted that development funds remain unspent in Bolangir district since several years.
Conducting a constituency level review, Mishra questioned why Rs 40 crore meant for the bypass road in Bolangir remained unspent despite getting sanction from the centre way back in 2001.
He reminded the official that they have yet to utilized the 40 crore that is meant for the project and laying in coffer from last many year. “Though I agree that project need another 241 crore due to cost escalation, the fact is neither the state nor the centre is showing any interest in the project nor is the 40 crore being spent”, he noted.
It may be recalled that the National Highway Authority has deposited a sum of 40 crore rupees with Bolangir Tahasil office to be utilised for acquiring land required for the project.
The amount remains unused for over a decade and with the new land acquisition law of 2013 the cost has skyrocketed. Mishra during the review reminded the official that since the project got delayed by 18 years and the cost will naturally escalate that doesn’t mean that they will start the work only when all money will come.
With regards to the public distribution system, Mishra asked supply department officers why they were not adhering to guidelines of involving panchayats and SHG in distribution of food grain.
On regularisation of Sikshya Sahayak teachers, Mishra grilled the district education officer as to why services of teachers who had completed six years of service had not been regularised. Mishra also took up the issue of irregular water supply to several wards of the twon and WHO (IAY) houses are being constructed on government land.