Key Discussions Held as MLA Attends Panchayat Samiti Meeting in Kotpad, Focus on Grassroots Development

Kotpad, April 20: A Panchayat Samiti meeting was held at the conference hall of the Kotpad Panchayat Samiti office in Koraput district.
The meeting was attended by local MLA Rupu Bhatra as the chief guest, along with MP representative Ashutosh Mohapatra, Chairperson Komala Bhatra, Vice-Chairperson Topan Panigrahi, Zilla Parishad members Gita Majhi and Tripati Chalana, among others.
Officials from around 25 departments—including education, health, drinking water, child development, irrigation, housing, rural development, horticulture, Mission Shakti, soil conservation, animal husbandry, excise, forest, electricity, tribal development, and public distribution—were present. Representatives from 17 panchayats, including sarpanches and samiti members, also attended.
The meeting discussed various issues faced by panchayats, the implementation of departmental programs, and possible solutions. Although the meeting was scheduled for 11:00 AM, delays in the arrival of the BDO caused dissatisfaction among the elected representatives.
Key Issues Discussed:
Special emphasis was given to drinking water supply in rural areas during the ongoing summer heat.
The electricity department was instructed to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
Concerns were raised about the shortage of doctors in health centers, affecting proper healthcare services.
Students are facing delays in getting caste certificates, which is impacting school admissions.
Complaints were made about poor-quality development work by contractors and irregularities in execution.
The MLA also acknowledged concerns about substandard work and directed officials to take immediate action. He urged government employees to ensure that various welfare schemes effectively reach the people.
The meeting was also attended by BDO Sandhya Samarth, Additional Tahasildar Parasu Bhotra, CDPO Prabhati Mohanty, and other government officials.