Collector’s Statement On Kendrapada’s Backwardness Triggers Political Row In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: A statement reportedly made by Kendrapada Collector Smruti Ranjan Pradhan regarding backwardness in the district has triggered a political row in Odisha.

Leaders of different political parties reacted after Pradhan stated that the coastal district is lagging in all sectors, particularly in agriculture and industrial development.

Speaking at a meeting held on the occasion of National Press Day in Kendrapada on Saturday, the Pradhan said he has visited most parts of the district after joining as Collector around four months ago.

Without naming anyone, the Collector said during his tours he found that development works and welfare schemes have not been implemented properly in Kendrapada, which is lagging behind other districts of the state.

While BJP leaders described the observation made by the Collector as correct and based on fact, BJD was highly critical of his remarks.

The statement made by the collector is correct and based on his keen observation as the past governments failed to work for the development of the district, said Kendrapada district BJP president Kishore Panda.

Senior Congress leader Chinmay Prasad Beura also endorsed the views expressed by the Collector, and said the district remained backward due to government apathy.

Criticising the Collector for his remarks, senior BJD leader and former Minister Pramila Mallik said the coastal district has witnessed significant development during the Naveen Patnaik-led government. She sought to know whether the Collector made the statement in a bid to please the present government.

Another BJD leader and former chairman of Kendrapada municipality, Dhiren Sahoo said the collector being a government servant has no right to comment on the past governments or any leader. During the 24-year-long rule of BJD, the government executed several development projects in the district.