Sarpanch lives without a door, locals walk over 60 km for ration in largest panchayat of Odisha’s Malkangiri

The promised ease of basic amenities at the doorstep under the Panchayati Raj system stands in sharp contrast to the daily reality of residents in Nakamamudi Panchayat of Korakonda block in Malkangiri district, where people travel nearly 60 to 70 km to reach their own panchayat office.

Spread across 52 tribal villages with a population of over 11,000, the panchayat is one of the largest in the district by area, yet residents say they remain cut off from even the most essential government services.

A visit to ground zero reveals a picture of isolation. Sources reported that with no regular transport, no Lakshmi bus services, and no road connectivity in the core interiors, villagers spend entire days walking over hilly terrain or crossing rivers on country boats just to access a government office or collect subsidised PDS rice.

Locals Express Pain

Locals compare their struggle by highlighting how a Rs 6 commodity costs Rs 9, in reference to how a simple government entitlement becomes unbearably expensive when travel, food and lost work days are added.

“The head office is over 70 km away. Even if we start in the afternoon, we won’t reach before evening. People must stay overnight just to file a complaint,” said a resident.

Residents from Anguraguda and neighbouring villages say that although they have been freed from years of Maoist influence, their lives still lack the most basic facilities. Several complain that development has not kept pace with the promise of decentralised governance.

“It has been 75 years since independence, but tribals here have seen almost no progress. There has been almost no development from PWD,” said another local villager.

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A Sarpanch Without a Door

In Nakamamudi, the gap between government policy and lived reality becomes starker with the condition of the woman elected to lead the panchayat.

Ground reports stated that Sarpanch Laxmi Muduli, now serving her fourth year in office, lives in a mud house without a main door, with only a makeshift wooden plank acting as a partition. The cracked walls and broken structure echo the deprivation of the region she represents.

“We have 52 villages and 19 wards. Rice is distributed at three points, but people still must travel long distances, often using boats. There is no proper road,” Muduli told OTV.

Residents claim jobs are scarce, and most families survive on marginal agriculture in hilly patches. With key welfare benefits reaching late, people insist that dividing the panchayat is the only way to make governance meaningful.

Administration Acknowledges Issue

Responding to repeated demands for splitting the panchayat, Malkangiri Additional District Magistrate Bedabar Pradhan said the administration will take up the matter formally, though the immediate focus remains on basic services.

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“Only one road leads into the panchayat through Bayapada, and it was built just last year. Though it covers all villages, the travel still takes 80 km due to mountain crossings. Panchayat division is a process. We will inform the government, but the priority is ensuring basic facilities first,” Pradhan stated.