An OTN Discussion |
| Blog | Posted By: hindtodaynews on:5/30/2010 11:57:52 PM |
By Sreejit MohantyDear Sirs,
It is ironic that the question "why is orissa one of the poorest and why is is backward" has become perennial. Someone in his comments has mentioned about Justice Khanna Enquiry Commission. Justice Khanna Enquiry Report dates back to the year 1967. Even at that time, Orissa was the poorest and evoked wonders as to why nature's blessed land lags behind others. In this context, Justice Khanna observed:"Despite its rich history and despite its natural reources, Orissa is one of the poorest States in the Country. The State has sometimes been
described as a hapless Cinderella of modern India......"
It is indeed a matter of wonder that even after 45 yeas, Orissa continues to be the poorest. Sometimes in my thoughts I compare Orissa with one of the countries in the Gulf and some small European countries which despite the hardships have found their place among the
leading nations of the world and I feel why not Orissa. I always get back to one answer:- human will, dedication and sincerity - that is apparently lacking in this land of history, culture and rich natural resources. Orissa need not follow a mad pursuit to sign double digit MoUs for establishment of steel and aluminum mills. We need only a couple of steel/aluminum projects. What we need is manufacturing industries that utilize the steel and aluminum and a robust service sector that can come up with the least damage to forest and environment; inflicting minimal damage to farmlands and the rural mass.
We need a corruption free and dedicated political class and bureaucracy - one that prides itself on having the opportunity to develop the State rather than on the number of peons/drivers and support staff. The politicians and bureaucrats need to be well aware of the socio-economic environment of the State and be sensitive to the needs of all classes of people, whether rich or poor - whether educated or illiterate - whether farmers or industrialist. Human will, vision and pro-activeness can do wonders - especially with the resources that we have. The only thing however is that development must be well thought off - we need not blindly follow what others have done. Different symptoms call for different treatment.
Let the Govt. evaluate its MOUs and find out the companies that can help achieve the greatest public benefit at the least cost to environment and least requirement of farmland. Then the Govt. must facilitate the development of these projects. Let there be a dialogue with people - let exchange and ideas flow freely - let there be transparency in public dealings - let the minister think themselves as the people's representative and be ready and willing to listen to the
people. It is not only the politicians or bureaucrats that are responsible for our hapless conditions - we the people are also to blame for being indifferent to the functioning of democratic institutions - for being lazy - for being self-centred - for thinking just of our immediate future.
If we can only change a couple of things we shall all be the proud citizens of a rich and prosperous State that shows the way to others.
By Wing Commander (Retd) Gora Chand Barik,
Vice President, 'Samrudhha Odisha'
Corruption is not the only cause of our poverty. Punjab has highest per
capita income in India and corruption level is higher than Odisha. They
have no mineral and tourist places like us. They have dynamic leadership
who work for common people. It main cause is inefficiency in our
leadership. In our neighboring AP state, corruption is higher than us.
By Adv. Biraja MahapatraI absolutely agree with Mr Gorachand Barik.
Corruption means illegal behaviour. According to common perception - corruption means bribe giving and bribe taking. It is a much wider term.
I had asked a young lawyer "are you paying income tax?" His answer was "I do not want to put in my money in to a corrupt system". Here you get the answer. His not paying income tax is also amounting to corruption. Societal hatred towards an illegal activity keeps peoples'
behavior on rail. Once you accept some illegal behaviour as acceptable- then the force of allegation gets diluted.
For example- You can construct up to 1200 sq ft in a 2400 sq ft land as per the law of a state. Government subsequently comes with a notification, those who have already constructed beyond 1200 sq ft up to 1500 sq ft, they can get their illegal construction compounded by
depositing a specific fee. Here the law is diluted and people will have the propensity to build up to 1500 sq ft and then get their illegal construction regularised.
As regards Orissa leadership, Orissa has not generated one single national leader after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Biju Patnaik was highly unpopular in the later sixties when Khanna commission did inquire into the allegations of corruption against him. Biju Patnaik was reborn in 1977 when he became the Union steel minister. But Biju Babu became popular due to unpopularity of J B Patnaik in 1989.
Orissa needs national leadership. We cannot go for begging. We need to assert what we want. Imagine had we have a competent Railway Minister in the union cabinet once, Samabalpur-Talcher Railway line would not have waited over 100 years to come up.
Our leaders must rise above their constituency centric politics at least to the state level politics so that they resolve the problems of their respective areas. A political representative is the real change agent. Any compromise in the quality of selecting a good leader will tell upon the health of that very constituency.
Shouting from roof top against corruption is not going to solve the problem at all.
Biraja Mahapatra
By Durga Prasad Mishra
There is no denial about the corruption, long ago,right from JB
time,its replaced by cooperation,in ODISHA, corruption and cooperation
are having same meaning, JB,if would have remained ,who created so many
corporation, would have started
CORRUPTION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, I think
shortly,Odisha will be the pioneer to start that,as we have the right
By Pravin PatelIf Orissa is one of the poorest state of India, it is not because of the protest and stop progress________ , but due to rampant corruption in public life, wrongly cultivated mining policy, neglect of farm sector and above all spineless and corrupt people in power.
If the POSCO project is allowed in its present terms, it is going to virtually loot iron ore worth billions by virtually paying nothing.
Correct the policies first and then see what happens?
If 65% of the people have no drinking water, whom to blame? Those who discuss the issues without knowing the facts should first read the National Water Policy 2002 and also State Water Policy and then raise a question to the government in power, why they are not following both the National as well as state policy?
IT park is OK but definitely not the steel and aluminum plants till the mining policy is not made reasonable by stopping virtual loot of the natural wealth of the state.
Please note that Orissa is a badly governed state which is at the root cause of all the trouble.
If talking the truth is taken by some ignorant persons as vested interests, god bless them.
If some one is interested to fight, better fight with the government to repair the wrong mineral policy and pay attention to strict compliance of water and agriculture policies.and try to stop the corruption in public life. State will ride on the wave of development and prosperity.
Dear friends
I fully agree with Shri Gora Chand Barik (Retd. Wing commandeer) that besides Corruption, lack of quality leadership is also a major issue.
It is like fuel to the fire as while the corrupt people makes fortunes, poor are pushed to hunger but who bothers for them except to use them to buy votes.
To the statement of Shri Durga Mishra I would like to add that it is not JB who started the corruption but corruption in Orissa started to spread roots after the deaprature of Shri N.K. Chowdhury government in the year 1956.
Sri Hare Krishna Mahatab, one of the greatest politician of Orissa had taken over the centre stage of power with the help of few handful money rich kendu leaves tradersand also also became the Chief Minister. Both he and the Kendu Leaves traders made huge money as the
mining corporations and mafias are making both legally and illegally at present.
Just like Punjab or Gujarat or Harayana do not have mineral wealth but have quality leadership and enterprising nature of the people that has made the difference. Another important feature is the strong rural economy which is based on agriculture and non farm sector like Dairy and agro based industries that has made purchasing power of the people quite high and the savings are converted in to investment in stock market. Nothing of this is not seen in Orissa nor there is any hope from this government to work for the poor and masses.
Natural wealth is allowed to be looted both legally and illegally. Tribals who are the owners of the Kendu Leaves and Bamboo are exploited by state by giving monopoly rights to the forest department of the state where also big games are played but the tribals risk their lives to go out under scorching sun when the mercury jumps over 46 degree centigrade to collect Kendu Leaves, Chief Minister wastes no time to make jokes of those poor people by announcing to give Chappals for free to them. It is specifically stated that the quality of Chappals are so poor that those chappals do not last even till the Kendu Leaf plucking work is over.
Shri Achyut Das ji has rightly weighed the performance of the government with analytical views.Development of the state means development of all its people and not only few industrial or mining corporations nor those few urban people who work in private enterprises or government or in PSUs. Per capita income of this segment of society has no matching with the per capita income of the rural people.
If we talk of liquor trade, What even legendry Biju Babu did not dared to do has been done by Navin babu by opening all the tribal districts to the liquor mafias by giving them licences to brew Mahuli that the tribals brew themselves. This issue in itself is big enough for the opposition party but has remained silent due to the reasons best known to them. I wish, Samrudha Orissa can take up the issue. I have all the details that can be shared with others including a PIL which is pending before the Orissa High Court.
Orissa is a classic example of political vaccum in leadership. Those who work with the masses at the ground leavel from different Civil society organisations if comes together and Samrudha Orissa is able to provide proper platform, success is bound to come, not in a day but
result is bound to come. Who knows, as AGP formed a government in Assam from no where in the scene.
Khula Manch/ Open Discussions on alternatives including leadership be started at the earliest on different topics. Let us all expose the realities that how big games are played behind the back of the people, be it in the name of rapid industrialization, distributing liquor
vending licenses, NREGA, Sarva Sikssha Abhiyan, and so on.
With best wishes
Pravin Patel