Villagers in Odisha stage unique protest, hand back ration cards over lack of electricity
By A Iswar Rao
Koraput (Odisha), Sept. 24: In a symbolic protest against the persistent lack of electricity in their village, residents of Nagalwada in Narayanpatna block of Odisha’s Koraput district on Monday made a bid to return their ration cards to the district administration, reports said on Tuesday.
This unprecedented move was apparently aimed at pressuring the authorities to expedite the provision of basic amenities like electricity to their village.
At a public hearing convened by district collector Keerthi Vasan, the villagers expressed their deep frustration with the government’s indifference to their plight.
According to the villagers, they have been living without electricity, which has severely limited their access to modern services and opportunities, keeping them in a “primitive” state of existence.
Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved residents, one villager said, “The ration cards allow us to receive rice and essential items through the Public Distribution System (PDS), but that alone won’t bring significant improvements to our lives. Electricity is what we truly need to escape the darkness of poverty and illiteracy. It will empower us and make our lives easier.”
The return of the ration cards was meant to signal the villagers’ desperation for change.
Responding to the villagers’ demands, Collector Keerthi Vasan assured them that their grievances would be addressed promptly. He noted that many complaints had been raised during the hearing, not just regarding electricity but also about infrastructure issues like roads and drains.
“We have directed the concerned departments to take immediate action. These issues will be resolved at the earliest,” Vasan reportedly said, reaffirming the administration’s commitment.
Koraput district, nestled in the southern part of Odisha, presents unique challenges for development due to its rugged topography, characterised by hills, streams, and rivers. The region is home to many Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), some of whom live in remote hilltop or hillside settlements that are difficult to access.
The geographical isolation, coupled with water bodies like streams and waterfalls that cut across the district, has made it challenging for the administration to extend infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, electricity, and drinking water to many areas. As a result, villages like Nagalwada remain disconnected from the basic amenities that most take for granted.
The newly-formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, led by chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, has placed a strong emphasis on improving infrastructure in these remote areas. Under the ‘Mukhya Mantri Sadak Yojana (MMSY),’ the government has pledged to connect every human habitation in the state with all-weather roads. For the fiscal year 2024-25, the state has allocated Rs 3,190 crore to MMSY projects, which aim to tackle the infrastructure gap in regions like Koraput.
