A week after Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh expressed concern over the mass resignation of panchayati raj institution (PRI) members in Odisha's Maoist-hit Malkangiri district, senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik today sought the Governor's intervention in the matter.
"I have requested Governor Shri S C Jamir to exercise his powers under Article 244 (1) of the Constitution of India and administrative experience to address the problems of Adivasis in Malkangiri district by visiting the area," Patnaik said.
In a letter to Jamir, the former PCC president said he had visited Malkangiri district on May 4, 2013, in the wake of mass resignation by over 60 representatives of PRI.
"I had requested the Chief Minister to take stock of the situation, but neither the CM nor any of his ministers have visited the district," Patnaik said in the letter.
Stating that the Constitution makers included tribal districts in a separate schedule (Schedule V) and gave extensive powers to Governors in respect of administration of these districts, Patnaik said "You have huge administrative experience and understand the problem of adivasis very well. So, I request you to exercise your powers in respect of this beleaguered Schedule V district."
In the past 14 years, the Chief Minister has not initiated any meaningful review to deal with problems in the implementation of Central schemes, he alleged.
"After the kidnapping of the then Collector Vineel Krishna, and his subsequent departure, the administration has further deteriorated and is in a state of limbo," the former minister wrote.
Despite the deployment of huge number of Central forces, the implementation of development schemes has been lagging behind, he also said.
