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.