Curtains Fall On ‘Kalahandi Dialogue’, Charting The Path Of Development

Bhawanipatna: The three-day ‘Kalahandi Dialogue’ concluded here on Sunday with speakers presenting their views on how Kalahandi had witnessed growth in the past two decades. Simultaneously, they suggested ways to solve various issues through combined efforts.

The conclave showcased Kalahandi on the path of development.

Panel discussions were held on art, culture and history, disruptive social innovations,
access to justice, voices of youth on development policies, poverty to prosperity through innovations and technology and innovations in agriculture for food security, adapting to farmers needs.

Veteran actor and former Rajya Sabha member Prashanta Nanda said local art and culture can be saved through proper promotion. “Kalahandi has been developing by performing in foreign soils and after 20 years, people are now hoping that it would witnessed more development,” he said.

Marget Franker, a participants from Berlin, told the media that implementation of local policies and values can help uplift tribal communities. “I saw the local dance of Kalahandi on this stage and I was happy to know that all tribal dances are now being performed world over,” he said.

Rajya Sabha member A V Swamy told the media that if you really want to develop the region, people at the grassroots should be made stakeholders. “Unless they are included in the planning process and its implementation, development is impossible to achieve.”

Journalist Ardhendu Dash said it was important to understand the real meaning of development. “Completing four to five roads in the district in a year cannot be called development. We need to complete more roads during the same period so that exact target could be achieved,” he said.

On industrialization, Dash said, “Forests and environment of the local areas should be protected at all costs. Industries help in growth of a region and these should not be set up by destroying tribal culture and its values.”

Chairman of ‘Kalahandi Dialogue’ Sujeet Kumar said that the participants’ suggestions for
further development of the district have been noted down and ‘Kalahandi declaration’ would be prepared on basis of it. It will then be submitted to the Odisha government, he added.