Bhubaneswar, January 13: At a time when the Odisha government is preparing to host the Utkarsh Odisha Conclave to attract major industrial investments, strong opposition has emerged from tribal and Dalit groups over the allocation of raw materials to industries outside the state.
Thousands of members from organizations including the Kodingamali Bikash Parishad, Adivasi Mahasangh (Kodingamali), Harijan Mahasangh (Kodingamali), Adivasi Mahila Sangh (Kodingamali), and the Domb Samaj (Kodingamali) staged protests at the Koraput and Rayagada Collectorates on Monday. The demonstrators voiced their resentment against the allocation of Odisha’s bauxite resources to external entities and called for safeguarding the rights of local communities.
During the protests, the associations submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi through the respective district collectors, demanding protection of their mineral rights and insisting on fair and transparent allocation of Odisha’s bauxite reserves. They argued that the state’s mineral wealth should first benefit industries that have invested in Odisha, created employment, and contributed to its socio-economic development.
The memorandum pointed out that during earlier Gram Sabha consultations, local communities were assured that the bauxite mined from Kodingamali would be allocated exclusively to industries setting up refineries and smelters within the state. Such commitments, they said, had created expectations of job creation and regional growth. However, the decision to allocate the mineral to an external entity—one that has neither invested in Odisha nor contributed to its economy—was described as “ironic” and “a breach of trust.”
Odisha, with its vast mineral wealth, has long been positioned as a hub for industrial growth. But according to the protesting groups, the recent developments surrounding bauxite allocation from Kodingamali have undermined both trust and opportunities. “The tribal communities, who sacrificed their land in the hope of seeing their region prosper, now feel betrayed,” the memorandum noted.
The outfits clarified that their agitation was not against the government, but a call for honoring the promises made to the people of Odisha. They urged the state administration to cancel the bauxite allocation to the external industry within seven days of submitting the memorandum and to ensure that future allocations prioritize local industries that drive employment and community development.
The groups further stressed the need for greater transparency in resource management to ensure that Odisha’s minerals contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth within the state, rather than benefitting outside entities at the cost of local communities.
This protest adds a sharp note of discontent just as the state seeks to project itself as a prime investment destination, highlighting the tensions between industrial ambitions and local aspirations.
