Lollipop to western Odisha ahead of ULB polls: Sambalpur to become corporation

Reported by Chinmaya Dehury/Edited by Sandeep Sahu
Bhubaneswar, Se 24;

In a political move to woo the disenchanted electorate in western Oodisha ahead of the urban elections in the region, the state government today announced its decision to accord Corporation status to Sambalpur municipality.

The corporation will be formed comprising Sambalpur municipality, Burla NAC, Hirakud NAC and 12 gram panchayats of the area.

The decision was taken at a high level meeting presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The chief minister has directed the concerned departments to initiate required steps by October end.

There are three municipal corporations in the state now – Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Berhampur.

According to 2011 census, the population of the corporation will be 3.35 lakh, well above the 3 lakh benchmark set for formation of corporation by the Corporation Act.

“The corporation will immensely help the people to get primary facilities in time while it will help in increasing urbanization,” said Finance minister Prasanna Acharya.

Lawyers in Sambalpur are spearheading an agitation demanding a permanent bench of the Orissa High Curt in western Odisha. All political parties have lent their support to the agitation and boycotted the just concluded urban local body (ULB) elections.

The elections to the 25 ULBs where elections could not be held due to the strike are likely to go to polls sometime in December.