Case Study of the Day: Swabhiman Anchal

Context: Swabhiman Anchal has created transformations in Odisha, which can serve a transformation model for other districts as well.

Transformation in Swabhiman Anchal

• Previous situation:
  • The ‘Cut-Off Area’ in Malkangiri district used to be the bastion of CPI (Maoist). ‘Cut-Off’ tag refers to its absolute remoteness.
  • It was a challenge for security forces to venture into the region – a sort of headquarters for CPI (Maoist)’s Andhra-Odisha Border Zone.
  •  The underdevelopment and absence of administration favored the Maoists to strengthen their position.
• Developments in Swabhiman Anchal:
  • In 2018, the Odisha CM inaugurated the Gurupriya Bridge over the Balimela Reservoir, ending the isolation of the region.
  • He renamed the region as ‘Swabhiman Anchal’, which means Self-Respect Zone, and announced a special package of Rs 100 crore under the SETU (Socio-economic Transformation and Upliftment) scheme for the development of this Maoist stronghold.
  • Other projects, including mega piped water supply project, construction of mobile towers in the area, have helped the residents of Swabhiman Anchal join the mainstream.
  • As infrastructure of Swabhiman Anchal got better, development programmes were pumped in and the security forces won the confidence of the people, left-wing extremists (LWEs) retreated.
  • Operation Ghar Wapasi was launched in Swabhiman Anchal in2022 to completely sanitise the area from Maoist influences and integrate the people into the State’s social and developmental mainstream.
• Impact of Development:
  • The people of Swabhiman Anchal, who were earlier perceived as sympathizers of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), seemed to interact with the officers without any fear.
  • The people have aired their grievances to officers and gave suggestions for improvement in the region.

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