By Pritish R Dash: South Odisha, blessed with abundant mineral wealth and witnessing a significant decline in hardcore Naxalism, is entering a decisive phase of industrial expansion.
Districts like Rayagada district and Koraput district are increasingly becoming the focus of private sector investments, particularly in mining and beneficiation plant projects.
As industrial activity accelerates, it is essential to carefully balance the opportunities and challenges for the local population. The role of people’s representatives becomes crucial in this transition — they must safeguard the interests of the region’s communities while supporting genuine, pro development initiatives that can shape a sustainable industrial future.
Industrial growth should not remain confined to extraction and production alone. It must translate into holistic regional development — generating employment, strengthening infrastructure, ensuring healthy livelihoods, improving healthcare facilities, and enhancing road, rail, and air connectivity. The rise of industries over the coming decades must go hand in hand with the rise of the region and its people.
With the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections for four seats in Odisha, this is a defining moment. Instead of nominating candidates purely from non-political backgrounds, there is a strong case for selecting a capable and committed leader from South Odisha — someone who can effectively advocate for the region’s rightful developmental trajectory at the national level.
Going by the Odisha Legislative Assembly arithmetic — where approximately 30 MLAs are required to secure one Rajya Sabha seat — the Bharatiya Janata Party is poised to secure two seats, and the Biju Janata Dal one. The fourth seat, however, will be decisive and strategically significant, with both parties as well as the Indian National Congress having influence — particularly the BJD with its remaining 18 MLAs playing a critical role.
This fourth seat must be chosen with foresight and responsibility. Priority should be given to South Odisha — and to a strong, credible leader who is truly rooted in the soil of the region and capable of shaping its industrial and developmental destiny at the national stage.
