Despite decades of targeted plans, Odisha’s KBK region needs a fresh development roadmap to address inequality, governance gaps, and lingering poverty
Pradeep Kumar Biswal
It all started with the story of Phanus Punji and Rajiv Gandhi in 1985, which is one of the most poignant chapters in the history of Indian developmental politics. It transformed the Kalahandi district in Odisha into a national symbol of abject poverty and administrative failure. Kalahandi was then reeling under a devastating drought. News broke that Phanus Punji, a tribal woman from the village of Amlapalli, had been forced by extreme hunger to sell her 14-year-old sister-in-law, Banita, for just ₹40 and a saree to a middle-aged man.
The story caused a national outcry, prompting then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to visit her hut personally, accompanied by his wife, Sonia Gandhi. The historic visit of the Prime Minister led to the creation of the KBK (Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput) plan, a special central long-term action plan designed to address the chronic poverty of the region. Kalahandi district became a case study for “Kalahandi Syndrome”—a term used by economists to describe a region where starvation and distress migration persist despite government intervention. Of course, despite the high-profile visit, Phanus Punji’s life saw little long-term improvement.
Decades later, she was reported to still be living in poverty, often expressing disillusionment that her “fame” as the face of poverty never translated into a better life for her family. However, Kalahandi saw the lights of development after decades of poverty and neglect. Not only Kalahandi but the entire KBK region, comprising the undivided Kalahandi- Bolangir and Koraput districts, received the focus of the central government and the state government for a considerable period.
These three districts were reorganised in 1992–93 into eight districts: Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Balangir, Subarnapur, Kalahandi, and Nuapada. Collectively, these districts cover about 30.6 % of Odisha’s geographical area and have faced chronic economic and social backwardness, including low literacy, high poverty, and poor infrastructure. The first dedicated intervention for KBK was launched on 18 August 1995 by Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao to address severe poverty, hunger, and starvation deaths in Kalahandi, Balangir, and Koraput. This was a Long-Term Action Plan ( LTAP) designed to focus government investment and attention on health, nutrition, rural employment, drinking water, rural connectivity, and other basic services in the region.
A Revised Long-Term Action Plan ( RLTAP) was formulated to accelerate development across the KBK districts with additional central assistance. It operated from around 1998–99 to 2006–07/10th Plan, aiming at holistic socio-economic improvement. The plan included special funding for tribal development, infrastructure, and services. In the 11th and 12th Five-Year Plans, the KBK region was covered under the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) with a special plan allocation of ₹250 crore per year for development works and infrastructure.
A total of over ₹2,500 crore was utilised by around 2014 for the KBK special plan component of BRGF. In 2006–07, after central funding under RLTAP was scaled down, the Odisha Government launched the Biju KBK Yojana — a state-sponsored special area development plan for the KBK districts. It focused on key priorities: electricity (Bijli), roads (Sadak), water (Pani), and livelihood initiatives in the eight districts.
The initial provision was around ₹120 crore per year (later varied), and funds were used for infrastructure and livelihood. Plans have sometimes been restructured — including proposals to delink KBK from earlier schemes and implement a new infrastructure development scheme with village-level and district plans approved by the state’s Planning & Convergence Department. Central funding for KBK plans, including BRGF and Integrated Action Plan (IAP), was discontinued from 2015–16, prompting the Odisha government to continue funding development through state plans like the Biju KBK Yojana or related schemes. One may legitimately ask why such targeted interventions were necessary.
The KBK region has long been marked by deep socio-economic deprivation—high levels of poverty and malnutrition, a grim history of starvation deaths, poor infrastructure and connectivity, and limited employment opportunities. A large tribal population, with literacy levels significantly below the state average, further compounded these vulnerabilities. These entrenched disparities compelled both the Centre and the state to design special development programmes tailored specifically to the region. While conditions have improved over time, significant gaps remain, necessitating continued policy attention.
At present, the KBK Bikas Yojana (earlier known as the Biju KBK Plan) continues to be implemented by Odisha’s Planning and Convergence Department. Recent budget documents indicate sustained financial commitment and execution. Between 2019 and 2024, approximately ₹599.81 crore was allocated under the scheme, supporting thousands of projects focused primarily on basic infrastructure and essential services. The evidence suggests gradual progress, though the pace and reach of development still vary across sectors and districts.
The KBK Plan and its subsequent interventions have demonstrated that regional development is possible with a sustainable and efficient development strategy. Today, Kalahandi has been transformed into a global supplier of rice. Starvation and hunger are stories of the past. There has been substantial progress in infrastructure development in the KBK area. However, there is no room for complacency on the part of the government. The post of KBK Administrator in the rank of Chief Secretary with headquarters at Koraput was created with the intention to coordinate and supervise the implementation of developmental programs in KBK areas. However, the experience is not that encouraging. Senior officers are reluctant to take up this assignment. It’s being managed on party time basis.
With the change of government in the state Biju KBK Plan has lost its focus. The state government can draw a new road map for the region and try to mainstream the backward areas like Malkangiri, Nuapada, and Nabarangpur in a particular timeframe. If it’s achieved, then it will also eradicate the Naxalite movement in these areas. Poverty and underdevelopment associated with unemployment lead to the spread of Naxalism. Bullet for bullet is no answer to this problem. Only development can solve this issue.
(Pradeep Kumar Biswal, retired IAS Officer, is a bilingual poet writing both in Odia and English. His poems are widely anthologized. He is also an editor and translator of repute. Views expressed are Personal)