Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Regarding the plan to put the mineral-rich district within the proposed North Odisha Development Council (NODC), Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stated that the state government would not make any decisions that went against the wishes of the people of Sundergarh. Majhi had stated that the Sundergarh district in the western portion of the state ought to be a part of the NODC while on a visit to the district.
A few hours after Sundergarh MLA Jogesh Singh brought up the matter in the Assembly, Majhi announced this on his social media platform X post. Byamakesh Ray, a BJD lawmaker from the Bhadrak district, added that the customs, language, and culture of northern and western Odisha differ.
In an X post, Majhi said, “The people of Sundergarh have been blessing us for many years and we respect the sentiments of the people of Sundergarh. Therefore, the government will not take any action against the wishes of the people of Sundergarh. The state government is committed to the overall development of Sundargarh district.”
During Zero Hour in Assembly, Jogesh Singh, a BJD MLA from Sundergarh, said that the chief minister had made a careless remark in spite of his constitutional authority as the state’s leader. “We urge the CM to withdraw the statement and condemn the announcement,” he stated. Singh added that the Sundergarh people’s language, customs, traditions, way of life, and geographic characteristics are completely different from those of the districts in northern Odisha. Western Odisha’s unity should not be weakened by the administration. According to Ray, who is from north Odisha, the chief minister should abstain from saying things that incite conflict among the populace.
