Attended the annual general session of the South Odisha Development Council at Gitagovinda Sadan, Bhubaneswar.
We, at South Odisha Development Council (Dakshina Odisha Unnayan Parishad) strive hard to bring development to our region despite the odds.
For the last 20 years, the South Odisha Development Council, the only registered organisation that has been working for 7 districts of entire South Odisha.
As a priority, focus should be on forest and agro-based economic development in the 7 districts. Government should formulate schemes by taking up programs based on the skills of those who are going to find employment in other States and abroad from these districts.
The State Government should set up a development council for the southern regions of the State, which is at the forefront of revenue. Our organization firmly promises to extend full cooperation in this regard.
It’s a gross negligence of Indian Railways and Centre to install a replica of the vintage rail engine of the ‘Parlakimidi Light Railway’ (PLR) at #Paralakhemundi Railway Station while putting the original one in Chennai.
The original engine, pride of South Odisha, should be brought back to Paralakhemundi immediately. Or else, it will be treated as a betrayal by Central Govt.
If the replica is shifted to Chennai, it will not make any difference. But for the people of Odisha, the original one is attached to their sentiment.
The people of South Odisha want the original heritage locomotive engine which will highlight the vision of the Maharajas who brought Odisha under the Railway map 100 years ago.
On behalf of the people of Gajapati District & South Odisha, I request Hon'ble Railway Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw to stick to his earlier promise and bring back the locomotive of PLR engine to Paralakhemundi PLH as a mark of respect to the Maharaja of Paralakhemundi.