Congress to gherao Balangir collector’s office over ‘less’ funds to Kantabanji

BALANGIR:  Accusing the district administration of slashing funds under various government schemes in Kantabanji, Congress workers of the Assembly constituency on Sunday decided to gherao the office of Balangir collector on January 18 to lodge their protest.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Kantabanji unit of Congress. Besides, party workers will also stage dharna in front of the block offices of Turekela, Bangomunda and Muribahal on January 16 and 17.
At the meeting, Congress leaders accused the administration of allotting less funds to the three blocks under the constituency. They alleged that the collector is yet to allot the stipulated fund of Rs 1 crore each to Turekela, Bangomunda and Muribahal blocks under Biju KBK Yojana. This apart, the grant under high school transformation programme of the 5T initiative is yet to be released. 

Addressing mediapersons, Congress MLA of Kantabanji Santosh Singh Saluja said over 5,000 party workers will participate in the protest at the collector’s office. “Kantabanji is poor and a migration-prone area. The state government should spend more funds in the constituency. However, the collector is slashing funds sanctioned under various development schemes. We will fight for our rights,” he added.

Last week, Saluja had a face-off with Balangir collector Chanchal Rana over the issue at the Zilla Parishad meeting. Meanwhile, Balangir MLA and senior Congress leader Narasingha Mishra said if he had attended the Zilla Parishad meeting, the face off between Saluja and the collector would not have taken place. Mishra said he could not attend the meeting, which was held at the third floor of the DRDA building, as doctors have advised him against doing any physically-demanding activity due to his ill health.