Democracy and Regionalism: A Special Reference to the Study of Sambalpur District of Odisha

Abstract

Growth is political and not managerial or administrative in the conceived technical sense (Leftwich 1984, 2000, 2004). That is the process of growth in human societies involves the organisation, mobilisation, combination, use and distribution of resources in new ways. That leads to inevitable disputes among individuals and groups or their combination on how such resources are to be used because of the calculation of gain and loss as a result of different configurations. It is appropriate in all the spheres from the grass-roots to national level in both developed and developing societies. However, the variation is that in a developed society changes come through institutionalised ways with more of a consensual mode of democratic politics. On the other hand, in embryonic societies with a high level of inequalities, a change threatens the interest of some directly which otherwise may be necessary for the promotion of development, like land reform. Therefore, both politics and state are central in the process of mobilisation, direction and development of resources in a new way that does not happen on its own. The research paper investigates the fusion of regional aspirations with democratic governance, elucidating how Sambalpur's cultural richness intertwines with demands for cultural preservation, political representation, and socio-economic progress. Beyond safeguarding cultural heritage, the study scrutinizes the district's needs for infrastructure development, equitable resource allocation, employment opportunities, and overall socio-economic advancement.