Bhubaneswar, January 9, 2025: Residents of Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district have urged Odisha Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi to promptly conduct the Gram Sabha for the Lanjigarh Bauxite Mines, emphasizing the need to kick-start mining operations to drive sustainable economic growth in the region. The appeal, submitted through the local Collector and Block Development Officer (BDO), highlights the community’s vision of leveraging local resources to transform Kalahandi into a model of industrial and socio-economic development.
Kalahandi, once considered one of India’s most underdeveloped districts, has witnessed remarkable progress since the establishment of the Lanjigarh Alumina Refinery in 2003. The refinery has played a key role in improving infrastructure, creating employment opportunities, and contributing to the overall upliftment of the region. Today, Kalahandi is recognized under the Government of India’s “Aspirational District” initiative, reflecting the positive changes driven by industrial development.
However, residents argue that the district’s potential remains underutilized due to the absence of mining activity at the Lanjigarh Bauxite Mines. They noted that neighboring districts such as Rayagada and Koraput have effectively tapped into their bauxite reserves, boosting local economies, creating jobs, and fostering industrial growth. In contrast, Kalahandi has not fully benefited from its own mineral resources, despite more than two decades since the refinery’s establishment.
The villagers highlighted that during the initial phases of industrialization in Lanjigarh, several external activists and foreign groups attempted to obstruct development. Nevertheless, with the support of the District and State administration, the local community successfully executed the project, ensuring that the refinery served the interests of the people and contributed to socio-economic development in Kalahandi.
Building on this legacy, the residents are now pressing for immediate action to conduct the Gram Sabha, a vital step under the Panchayati Raj framework that enables communities to approve mining operations and ensure their participation in local development decisions. They emphasized that initiating bauxite mining would not only create local employment opportunities but also generate a broader socio-economic ecosystem, including infrastructure development, ancillary industries, and skills training for the youth.
The appeal represents the collective aspiration of Kalahandi’s residents to unlock the district’s full potential through responsible and sustainable mining. They called upon the Odisha government to take immediate action, stressing that the benefits of commencing mining operations would extend beyond the refinery, catalyzing long-term economic growth and improving the standard of living for local communities.
By urging the government to facilitate the Gram Sabha and start mining at Lanjigarh, the residents aim to ensure that Kalahandi can fully capitalize on its mineral resources and continue its transformation from a historically underdeveloped district to a hub of industrial and economic activity in Odisha.
