Koraput: A proposal by the department of posts to bring Jayapur town in Koraput district under the proposed Nabarangpur postal division has triggered opposition from political leaders and residents, who have demanded that the town be retained under Koraput postal division.Koraput MP Saptagiri Ulaka, Jayapur MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati and former minister Rabi Narayan Nanda have opposed the move, questioning the rationale behind altering the town’s existing postal jurisdiction.According to a proposal forwarded by the office of chief postmaster general, Odisha circle, to the directorate of posts in New Delhi on Sept 14, the new division would comprise Nabarangpur district, Jayapur town in Koraput district and portions of Kalahandi district. The remaining areas of Koraput, along with Malkangiri district, would continue under Koraput postal division.According to a proposal forwarded by the office of the chief postmaster general, Odisha circle, to the directorate of posts in New Delhi on Sept 14, the new division would comprise Nabarangpur district, Jayapur town in Koraput district and portions of Kalahandi district. The remaining areas of Koraput, along with Malkangiri district, would continue under Koraput postal division.“Jayapur has historically been an important administrative and commercial centre of undivided Koraput district. There is no justification for bringing it under Nabarangpur postal division. While we welcome steps to improve postal services, such restructuring should not come at the cost of public convenience,” Ulaka said.“I have written to the Union ministry of communications seeking reconsideration of the proposal and am hopeful that our demand will be accepted,” the MP added.Bahinipati described the move as an unnecessary administrative change. “Jayapur is one of the oldest and most important towns in the region, with its own administrative significance. We are not opposed to a separate postal division for Nabarangpur, but there is no reason to include Jayapur in it. The department should reconsider its proposal,” he said.Echoing similar concerns, senior BJD leader and former minister Nanda said, “Creating a new postal division should strengthen services and improve administrative efficiency. However, shifting Jayapur to Nabarangpur is difficult to justify. The authorities should respect local sentiments and retain the existing arrangement.”Residents have also questioned the need to alter Jayapur’s postal jurisdiction, arguing that administrative restructuring should not inconvenience the public.Meanwhile, Nabarangpur BJP MP Balabhadra Majhi said creation of a separate postal division would strengthen administrative efficiency and improve postal services in the region. “The proposal should be viewed from an administrative perspective rather than through political or regional considerations. The objective is to ensure better supervision, faster delivery of services and greater convenience for the public. People should not confuse postal jurisdiction with district boundaries,” Majhi said.He added that the proposed restructuring would help address the operational difficulties faced by the existing postal divisions and ensure more effective monitoring of postal services, particularly in remote and tribal-dominated areas.According to the departmental proposal, Koraput postal division currently covers Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts, with 625 post offices, while Kalahandi postal division covers Kalahandi and Nuapada districts, with 568 post offices.The department has cited improved supervision, balanced workload distribution and better service delivery in remote areas as the reasons behind the proposed restructuring. A final decision is awaited.
