Report by Kishor Dash; Malkangiri: Defying the Maoist fear that looms large in the area since the abduction of Vineel Krishna, the than Malkangiri District Magistrate on February 16, 2010, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh will visit the red brigades fortress Janbai tomorrow.

The construction of Gurupriya Bridge over the river Janbai which would provide on road connectivity to more than 30,000 tribal populace across the seven gram panchyats in the cut-off region has been deferred as the ultras are opposing the project. The ministers plan to visit the trouble torn area would have been certainly chalked out by his private secretary Vineel Krishna who shot into limelight after Maoists abducted him in February. Mr. Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Mahji were abducted by armed Maoists on February 16, a few hours after bringing electricity to Siliguma. The incident occurred near Janta Pai village, one of 389 villages “cut off” from the rest of the district by the reservoir of the Balimela hydropower project.

The than Environment & Forest Minister Ramesh was impressed with Krishna's track record as the collector of Malkangiri district where he took a lot of administrative measures for the welfare of tribals. Judging from the questions raised by the media after his release on February 24, Krishna was appeared to have become a test-case for the hypothesis that under-development is the cause of, and development the cure for, the Maoist insurgency.
Jairam Ramesh would be landed at Sikhpalli; some 18 km from here at about 9.00 am on Monday accompanied by his private secretary Vineel Krishna and would lay foundation stone for a new SSD High School building there, District Information & Public Relation Office sources here said.

He will visit the mango plantation site under MGNREGA near M.V-16 and interact with the beneficiaries. Then Jairam would leave for Janbai to visit the proposed Gurupriya Bridge site. On his return from there, he would lay the foundation stone for old age home at welfare complex.

The minister would held a meeting with the Collector and other district level officials and interact with the PRI representatives at the DRDA Conference Hall. Later, Jairam Ramesh will inaugurate DPMU building and Bharat Nirman Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendra and will review  of MGNREGS,PMGSY,drinking water supply and Integrated Action Plan projects being undertaken by the  union government.

Jairam will leave for neighboring Sukma district in Chhatisgarh on Tuesday. District police has tightened the security arrangements in the wake of Jairam Ramesh’s visit to Malkangiri.