Republic day invitee Bonda couple meets Odisha CM

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jan 22:

A Bonda couple from remote Malkangiri, who are special invitees to this year’s Republic day parade in New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was delighted to meet Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The tribal couple Samari Sisa (46) and Dhabalu Sisa (41) belonging to the Bonda tribe, a  particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG), have shot into limelight after they received a letter inviting them to the Republic day parade in New Delhi this year. Before leaving for Delhi they met the chief minister on Thursday.

“I am very happy. I had never seen the chief minister in person. It is a pleasure to be here. I told him that the mothers and sisters are in trouble in our area as there is no medical facilities for them,” said Samari Sisa after meeting Naveen Patnaik.

The chief minister has promised development of the Mudulipada gram panchayat. He has said that the state government will provide the panchayat with uninterrupted electricity.  A solar facility will be established for this purpose.

The road from Kairaput to Mudulipada will be extended, pucca houses will be provided to the needy, pension and insurance facilities will also be provided to the tribal villagers, he added.

The chief minister provided the couple with shawls and presented a laptop for their daughter who is studying in Plus Two.

The couple, residents of Bandiguda village under Mudulipada gram panchayat of Malkangiri district are thrilled to be the first from their community to go to New Delhi.

The couple as well as the whole village is ecstatic with the invitation. Both of them plan to take up local issues like poor connectivity and lack of medical facilities with Narendra Modi.

The state will bear all expenses of the Bonda couple’s Delhi visit, including their to-and-fro air fare, stay and travel.