Government Rejects Thousands of Rural Settlement Applications

In a major announcement in the Odisha Assembly today, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari declared that there will be no creation of new gram panchayats or blocks in the state for the foreseeable future. The decision is a setback for thousands of rural settlements aspiring for independent administrative identity.

Statistics: Applications, Rejections, and Pending Proposals

While answering a starred question, Pujari revealed that the Revenue Department received 5,566 applications for the formation of new “pada gaons” (revenue villages). Out of these, 2,501 proposals were outright rejected, while 1,177 applications remain under consideration. The rest have already been processed and decided.

Tribal Districts Hit Hardest

The tribal-dominated districts faced the most significant impact from the rejections. Rayagada led with 256 rejected applications, followed by Malkangiri (235), Gajapati (233), and Ganjam (200). Many of these settlements had hoped for separate panchayats, better funding, and accelerated development.

Reasons Cited for Rejection

The Minister explained that the rejections were based on strict adherence to existing guidelines, including population, area, revenue generation capacity, and distance from parent villages. Despite this, some political analysts argue the move could be aimed at preventing new delimitation exercises ahead of the 2027 panchayat elections.

Implications for Rural Development

Millions of villagers in these “padas” will continue to remain under larger revenue villages, limiting their voice in gram sabhas and delaying the implementation of development schemes. Opposition parties protested in the Assembly, but the message was clear: Odisha’s rural administrative map will remain unchanged for now.

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