Union Minister fumes over Odisha govt's 'non-cooperation' in Amarda airstrip land transfer process

Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs and Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu came down heavily on the Odisha government after the much-awaited land transfer process of the Amarda airstrip in Mayurbhanj district under UDAN (infra) scheme could not be completed today.

The Amarda Road airstrip in Mayurbhanj has been identified for development for the operation of flights under the UDAN scheme.

Inordinate delay in the land transfer for the ambitious project has affected its work, said Tudu while talking to reporters in Baripada.

The District Collector and some officials on behalf of the state government were supposed to attend the meeting to complete the land hand-over process in the presence of Defence officials. But none of them turned up to the venue today to the chagrin of the Union minister, DRDO officials, local people, and intellectuals. 

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Upset over the district administration’s callousness towards the project, the Union Minister alleged, “The land hand transfer process of the airstrip could not be completed till date as the state government has little interest in the project, whose revival has been a long-standing demand and dream of the people in Mayurbhanj district.”

“Had the land been made available in time, the project work would have been carried forward. But this could not happen as yet, even though the state government had issued a letter to the Director of ITR Chandipur to take over 160.35 acres of land for the airstrip on August 25 this year,” Tudu said.  

As per reports, the meeting turned a damp squib as the Collector and officials of the state government skipped it, leaving the BJP leader fuming.
Meanwhile, the concerned district administration officials and the Odisha government could not be contacted over the matter.