Rayagada: In the widely discussed Kashipur block of Rayagada district, a significant number of people have migrated towards Rayagada city. Entire settlements have emerged in the city, populated mostly by people from the Kashipur region.
Many people have moved to the city, and there is growing discussion that some leaders, driven by land mission greed, have influenced these remote villagers to relocate. Some residents have stated that due to the lack of 100-day work under the MGNREGA scheme in their region, they were forced to move to the city in search of jobs. Additionally, many areas still lack transportation and healthcare facilities, prompting families to migrate to urban areas for basic government amenities. Several government schemes have failed in these villages, and many successful projects have not reached the residents of these remote regions. As a result, every family is facing severe economic hardships.
A New Settlement Emerges in Rayagada
People have started settling under and around the hills in the city. They have often had to protest for basic facilities, despite having land ownership documents in their villages and being included in housing schemes. However, many have fallen prey to the lure of land schemes and migrated to the city.
They are now searching for jobs in the city to sustain their families. A Kashipur resident, Ram Huika, stated that people from various villages of Kashipur block—including Maikanch, Andirakanch, Addajor, Kodipari, Kahunguda, Siripai, and Kenduguda—have moved towards Rayagada city. Their abandoned homes in the villages have turned into ghost houses.
A few months ago, illegal settlements near Rayagada railway station were evicted, as people from Kashipur and even neighboring Kalahandi district had established slum settlements in the city. Several families from Kashipur have now set up new settlements in the city, enduring severe hardships. Efforts are underway to provide them with land ownership documents (patta) as per their eligibility, according to Municipal Council Chairman Mahesh Pattnayak.