DHENKANAL: Call it lack of political will or apathy on the part of administrative officials, a number of development projects have taken a backseat in Dhenkanal. And this despite the fact that crores of rupees are being pumped in by the Centre and the State for implementation of welfare schemes and projects at regular intervals. A case in point is the model medicinal garden project under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) at Sogar village. The project has suffered a setback for lack of planning and coordination among officials concerned. The garden of medicinal plants was to be developed over 595 acres in the village under the MGNREGS at a cost of Rs 11.40 crore. Foundation stone for the project was laid by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on September 16 last year. However, since then no water harvesting structure or other water supply source has been set up under the project. As a result, there is no adequate water supply for the 64,000 plants in the garden. Sources also alleged that no soil tests were done before finalisation of the plants that would be grown in the garden which is mostly rocky. DFO S K Dalai admitted no soil test was done before plantation was carried out and water has become a challenge for the plantation project.Likewise, a water supply project worth ` 30 crore under the Urban Infrastructure Development Small and Medium Town (UIDSMT) scheme is lying defunct even as the district is facing the problem of water supply. Even as the project had got administrative approval from the State and the details sent to the Centre a year back for funding, no step has been taken yet. Similar is the fate of a special market complex - Aam Gaon Haat - that was opened in August 2006. A brainchild of former collector Usha Padhee, it aimed at providing marketing opportunities to women SHGs. The market, however, is yet to open. This apart, an accident care centre on the premises of the district headquarters hospital has been lying defunct since it was opened in August this year. It was set up at the cost of Rs 3 lakh. CDMO B C Behera said in the absence of some equipment, the unit has not been opened yet. This year, the district planning committee has approved a plan outlay of Rs 1,010.14 crore and proposals worth Rs 3,727.63 crore have been made for the financial period 2012-2017. Collector Bishnu Prasad Panda admitted to the projects lying defunct and said measures were being taken to streamline the projects.
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