Kalahandi is a district of Orissa, India. It's found in the west, bordering Chhattisgath and Nabarangapur district. Orissa (2001 provisional pop. ... Nabarangapur is a district of Orissa, India. ...

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It has been in the news since middle of 80s when India Today reported sale of child by parents due to financial crisis. That article led the then Prime Ministet Late Rajiv Gandhi paying a visit to the district. This episode the brought the district to the national stage for its acute poverty and famine.

Post that, there has been series of cases when Starvation Deaths, Sale of Child has been reported in Media leading to hulchul in the assembly, parliament, announcment of hosts of relief fund, development projects. Prime Minister Narshimrao annouced the famous KBK project (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) with some thousands of crores in 1994.

Kalahandi has not been able to take off despite of hosts of programme , because of lacuna at implementation stage.No one from the government cadre is ready to get posted in Kalahandi. As the basic infrastructure is dismal state, the development progress is very slow.

But some development in the recent past has shown some sign of progress. Indravati Water project, second biggest in the state has changed the landscape of southren Kalahandi a lot leading to two-three crops in a year. Because of this the blocks like Bhawanipatna, Jayapatna, Dharamgarh are witnessing rapid agriculural growth in the recent past. Starlite Industries, a major industrial house in Aluminium field is investing Rs 5000 crores in the Kalahandi-Koraput range. This project has progressed due to direct intervention and interest shown by Naveen Patniak, CM of Orissa. Once this project is completed, this could be a big catalyst for industrial development in the region.

Kalahandi also is a right example of disparity /contrasts that exist in many part of developing/underdeveloped world.On the one side, this district is famous for Famine and Starvation Deaths, this is the district which boasts of among the highest number rice mills in the state. The number of rice mills in the district hovers around 150 in the finalcial year 2004-05. More than 70% of them have come up in the last five years after comissioning of Indravati project. Rice Mill business have been so lucrative in the region that businessman from adjoining districts and states have invested here directly or indirectly.Most of these rice mills purchase paddy from the goverment alloted villages through panchayat and sell the rice to Food Corporation of India. As there are lot of rice mills competing for paddy, the price paid the farmers have shown increase in the recent past. But the price paid to them is mostly lesser than price set by district officals (minimum support price). But this business is dependent on the government both for purchase and sell of its product, there are many cases of corruption which has hit the headlines.

Orissa government has also set up private medical college with tie up with one South India based organisation in Junagarh block of Kalahandi. This has the potential of changing the health infrastucture of the adjoining blocks in the locality.

Politically, the district does not have much of importance in state or national politics. Mr Vikram Keshari Singdeo , sitting MP(BJP) and third time MP from the district is yet to get any chance in Union Ministry or Political post. Mr Bhaktacharan Das , MP during Chandrasekhar regime ( 1990-91) , was part of the union ministry in the Railway and Sports department. No other MPs in last two decades have made itto any important post of national or statelevel importance. Among the MLAs representing the district, two MLAs Mr Bhupinder Singh and Mr Jagannath Pattnaik has been among the senior leaders of Congress Party. Despite both of them being in the important ministry like Revenue and Tourism , they have failed to make it to limelight. From the othet two major political parties BJP and BJD, there is no one has made it big yet.

Geographically, Kalahandi is situated at South-West part of Orissa surrounded by Bolangir, Nuapada, Rayagada and Navrangpur districts and Chattisgarh state.Its landscape can de described as a hilly and full of jungles.