Congress Memo to Railway Minister includes issues of South Orissa

The state Congress has demanded enhanced allocation for the ongoing railway projects and sanction of new lines to give a boost to the process of industrialization in Orissa. In a memorandum submitted to Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, president of the Orissa Pradesh Congress Committe KP Singhdeo has demanded sanction of four railway line projects for which survey was completed several years back. Referring to the Bargarh-Nuapara rail link for which survey was completed in February 2003 with a favorable rate of return of 18.32 per cent, Singhdeo said that this will pass through Nuapada and Balangir districts in Western Orissa. Requesting the minister to sanction the project in 2010-11 budget, he said that this could also be used as an alternative route for transport of coal and other minerals. Survey report for the 245-km Talcher- Gopalpur rail link was submitted to the Ministry of Railways with a favourable rate of return. With Gopalpur port being developed into an all-weather port, connectivity between Talcher and Gopalpur by rail will ensure smooth flow of raw materials and finished products, he said. The survey for the Rupsa-Bangiriposhi line sanctioned in 2005-06 had already been completed. This link will serve as an alternative route besides providing access to states in the hinterland which do not have a port. The conversion of Nuapada-Gunupur line from meter gauge to broad gauge will be completed by March 2010. However, on its own this railway line project will barely provide any freight movement, Singhdeo said, adding that the extension from Gunupur to Theruvali will not only connect the hinterland of KBK districts but provide port connectivity to Gopalpur. He said that the project should be sanctioned in the 2010-11 budget as this will enable the alumina/aluminium industries located in the KBK districts to import and export via Gopalpur port. Separately mentioning about the 289-km Khura Road-Bolangir railway line project, Singhdeo said that allocation for this line should be increased and progress closely monitored to ensure timely completion. He said that though this project was sanctioned in 1994-95, the progress has been tardy. Detailed estimate for 36 km-112 km has already been submitted to the ministry for sanction. Singhdeo demanded that the section from Khurda Road up to 36 km should be commissioned by 2010-11. He also requested the minister to sanction Puri-Kanyakumari, Titlagarh- Bhubaneswar (via Rayagada, Vizianagaram, Berhampur), Hatia-Chennai/Bangalore (via Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, Berhampur), Puri-Jammu Tawi, Sambalpur-Howrah (via Angul) trains and intercity express between Koraput and Visakhapatnam for Orissa. Thanking the Railway Minister for proper allocation of funds in the last railway budget, Mr. Singh Deo has pointed out that Orissa has only 2500 km of railway route length at an average of 15.3 km per 1000 km as against the national average of 19 km.

Coaching terminals

Congress Party has also reiterated the need for establishment of coaching terminals at Koraput and Berhampur.

Sources: New Indian Express and The Hindu

Ganjam heritage: College of Art & Crafts, Khallikote

College of Art and Crafts, Khallikote, near Berhampur city in Ganjam District, is one of the leading Visual Art Institutions in India and the oldest institute of its kind in the State. It was established on 25th October 1957 in the palatial building of the Raja Saheb of Khallikote and it celebrated its golden jubilee a couple of years ago. Situated on the bank of the famous natural lake “Chilika” and surrounded by lofty mountains, lush green forests and a natural spring “Nirmal Jhar” the College attracts art lovers from across the country. Khallikote was a princely state of pre-independent India and is famous for its worthy rulers who laid the foundations for higher education in southern Orissa with the establishment of historic Khallikote College, several Mardaraj High schools and the college of Art and Craft. Raja Ramchandra Mardaraj Deo of Khallikote played a major role in the formation of the modern state of Orissa on linguistic basis and he attended the Round Table Conference in London for this purpose along with Maharaja KC Gajapati of Parala. Infact, His palace at Rambha was the epicenter of the movement.

The glorious history of Khallikote and the contributions of its rulers for higher education and in state formation have gone unrecognized thus far. Infact, two of their significant contributions i.e., Khallikote College at Berhampur and College of Art and Craft at Khallikote have received scant attention from the State Government. While the Government is dilly-dallying on Unitary University status for Khallikote College, recently there is a demand for Autonomous College status for the College Art and Craft, Khallikote and to bring it under the proposed Khallikote Unitary University. Further, the college is yet to receive a special grant of Rs. 2 crores as announced by the Chief Minister to make it a centre of excellence. It is time when the State Government takes special care to protect this heritage Institution dedicated for Art and Craft by making it an Autonomous Institution.

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