From Biju Babu to Naveen Patnaik, the Love Affairs with Kalahandi Continue to Blossom

Bhawanipatna: Kalahandi is no more a poverty laboratory. It is the face of new Odisha. Today Kalahandi stands as a model of progress for the world, a shining example of transformation for others to emulate, said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here today.

Naveen, in his first public after almost nine months since the Covid-19 pandemic, recalled Biju Babu’s attachment with Kalahandi.

“Biju Babu as Chief Minister had visited Kalahandi in the 1990s. Unfortunately he faced stone pelting at the Statue Chak, Bhawanipatna. His nose was injured and there was severe bleeding”, Naveen said.

“When I asked him about the incident, Biju Babu in his characteristic manner replied -_“Nothing to worry. The people of Kalahandi love me immensely. I too love them. For every drop of my blood that has fallen on the soil of Kalahandi, we shall take up 10 times more work relating to its progress,” the Chief Minister said.

This was the greatness of our beloved leader Biju Babu, he added.

“In the year 2000 when I got the opportunity to serve our motherland Odisha, those inspiring words of Biju Babu were in my mind. His words became my guiding light. Since 2000, Kalahandi has seen a massive transformation,” Naveen told the people.

Some people wanted Kalahandi to remain a Poverty Laboratory forever. Today Kalahandi stands as a model of progress for the world – a shining example of transformation for others to emulate. It is the face of new Odisha.

This transformation has been possible due to the hard work and unflinching commitment of the people of Kalahandi , especially its farmers.

Today Kalahandi is a progressive and agriculturally developed district. Its irrigation potential has increased threefold.

The erstwhile land of hunger is now the country’s Rice Bowl. Kalahandi plays a critical role in ensuring India’s food security. It alone provides more rice to the PDS than 10 states put together.

In the 2019 -20 paddy procurement season, an amount of more than Rs 1200 crores has been directly transferred to the bank account of its farmers.

In the year 2000 Kalahandi had an IMR of 76 and MMR of 432. Through special and dedicated schemes for mothers and children, these indicators have improved vastly.

We have been able to save the lives of our women and children, Naveen said.

Kalahandi has been recently _awarded at the national level as the best performing district in health and nutrition.

It also has been awarded as the best performing district in inland fish farming.

How has this transformation come about? Who has been the major contributor to this?

Its is definitely the result of the pro-people policies of our Government and the hard work of the people of Kalahandi. But undoubtedly the biggest single contributor to the transformation of Kalahandi is our beloved Ma Indravati -the lifeline of this district.

Every drop of Indravati has played a role in the development saga of Kalahandi. She has given prosperity; progress and happiness to thousands.

Naveen said, “Droplets of her water run as blood in the veins of her people .To show our respect to our revered mother Indravati river, we propose to set up a museum and a park here in her honour. This museum and repository will tell the story of Kalahandi’s transformation to the world” .

A Temple in honour of our mother Indravati shall be built in this space.

“Our farmers shall visit this revered place and take a pledge that not a single drop of the waters of Indravati shall go waste. Each droplet shall be used for the progress of this district and her sacred water shall be conserved for future generations”.

Kalahandi – the land famous for its art and dance forms -the land of Ghumra and Bajasal is today a story of transformation – of prosperity .

Kalahandi shall continue to progress on all fronts and shall take the glory of Odisha to newer and greater heights – this is my strong conviction, Naveen added.