Odisha rolls, others CMs to learn from him!
Bhubaneswar, July 7 (Surjit Dhal)
The recent article by eminent economist Arvind Pangaria in a national daily on Odisha’s transformation under Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and wriggling out of poverty is not surprising. It is a fact that in the past 22 years Odisha has marched far ahead – from deficit to plenty- to pip several other states in the country. This has become possible due to the governance model under Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his efficient group of top officials who are more on the ground than choosing to sit in air-conditioned cubicles. Frequent visits to different areas of the State and monitoring developmental activities—under the strict guidance of the Chief Minister- has yielded the results for a state that was always termed as ‘poverty in plenty’. The opposition, mainly the Congress which ruled the State for most of the time of the 75 years since Indepence, is bound to be jittery as it had failed to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the State. Odisha is way ahead of even advanced states in the country in several parameters and bagging praises and awards at national and international level.
Pangaria has rightly deduced that people return those leaders or political parties to power who delivered. Naveen Patnaik continuing for the fifth time in a row is a remarkable feat—without any blemish either on his person or on the government. Barring the chit fund scam, Naveen government in State has no blemish at all and wherever any individual leaders is accused of corruption or wrong deeds has been shown the door. Anyone who has tried to flout the ‘zero tolerance’ policy of Patnaik has found himself in oblivion. Be it Kamala Das, Ramakrushna Patnaik, Bijay Mohapatra, Dillip Ray or even his own political representative in Hinjli Pradeep Panigrahi are names forgotten now in State’s politics.
Pangaria has hailed the governance model of Naveen Patnaik not for flattering a government. He has not only analysed the administration of Naveen, but also hinted other states to follow the Odisha Chief Minister’s footsteps.
Naveen has proved his detractors wrong in many ways. The Oppositions attempt to find loopholes in his government and capitalize on those has gone futile. In every elections since 2000, Naveen has gone from strength to strength always increasing party’s tally in the Assembly. His charisma proved more influencing even that from Prime Minister Narendra Modi juggernaut. BJP has not fared as well as it expected.
Naveens achievement in education, health, agriculture, industrialization, is astounding. He convinced the industry captains to invest to the tune of Rs 4 lakh crore even during the Covid-19 pandemic when the country was grappling with lock-downs and short-downs. His school transformation initiative has resulted in the development of nearly 2000 schools across the State and emerged as a model and the Mission Shakti initiative praised world over. The women self-help groups have emerged as a strong force to participate in the transformation of Odisha’s governance and empowerment of women.
The success in the development of the agricultural sector needs no mention as Naveen was invited to the World Food Programme Headquarters to outline his government’s initiatives. It can easily be gauged from the fact that the Chief MInister of a once backward state, addresses a United Nation forum as a leading state.
It is not only Pangaria who would be baffled by the Odisha Chief Minister’s uninterrupted return to power for fifth straight time. Naveen’s governance has baffled many others also, including his arch political rivals. The soft-spoken, simple living bachelor chief Minister is several notches higher than most of his contemporaries. People’s happiness is his prime concern and never fails to ask “Apanamane Khusi ta.’ None in Odisha has reasons to be unhappy.
The success of Naveen Patnaik has not come like that. It is his picking of officials at the right places to ensure implementation of development programmes sans corruption. His aides have ensured that no blemish ever touches the Chief Minister or tarnish the impeccable image of his government. During Covid-19 pandemic, when the entire state was gripped with an unseen fear, these trusted officials adhering to the 5-T charter ensured that no stone is unturned in the tackling of the pandemic.
Naveen’s picking of perhaps one of the most effective official as Secretary is an example of his administrative acumen. He picked VK Pandian after a long time who is virtually the shadow of the Chief Minister and ensures all the Chief Minister’s policies are implemented in letter and spirit. He is also perhaps the only Secretary to a Chief Minister so far who visits project sites to review the implementation of any development work. Pandian has been constantly monitoring the Heritage Corridor Project in Puri, Samalei Temple in Sambalpur and has had held ground level discussion with stakeholders of other religious places be it Taratarini Temple in Ganjam or Maa Sarala Temple in Jhankad in Jagatsinghpur. Pandian is credited to be one of pioneers of the direct benefit transfer in State.
Naveen government has ensured that communal harmony, a basic ingredient of growth, is maintained at all costs and unlike in some other states, Odisha has remained perhaps the most peaceful state in the country. This has been possible due to alert and agile administrative machinery that is well oiled and well serviced.
There was a time when Odisha was looked down at national level and people were frequently asked ‘Where is Orissa’. The table has now turned and people say ‘ Oh you are from Odisha’.
These last 22 years has evolved a golden Odisha.
