Is there a way out of Orissa’s dilemma?

Orissa’s socio-economic environment represents an oxymoron of poverty amid riches. Among the states, it languishes near the bottom of the Human Development Index table and per capita income rankings. Almost half of rural Orissa is in the Below Poverty Level league. Due to poor productivity arising from primitive practices, agricultural GDP is growing at just around one per cent per annum. It is a food insecure state with 57 per cent of the population suffering from chronic energy deficiency. About 48 per cent of the women suffer from nutritional deficiency and 72 per cent of children are afflicted with some degree of anaemia. This is a state that has an abundance of mineral resources. It possesses 33 per cent of the country’s iron ore deposits, 25 per cent of the coal, 60 per cent of aluminium ore, 98 per cent of chromium ore, 67 per cent of manganese ore, 92 per cent of nickel ore, 71 per cent of graphite, 31 per cent of China clay, 18 per cent of dolomite, 25 per cent of fireclay, 65 per cent of pyrophillite and 30 per cent of mineral sands.This is a cornucopia that could propel the state to the front ranks of industrial production — particularly iron and steel, alumina and aluminium, ferro-alloys and power. Judiciously exploited, these mineral resources can yield an income for the state, which, if properly distributed, can raise the per capita income several fold and wipe out the abysmal poverty in the countryside.Orissa also has many of the basic resources needed to make it a tourist destination. With a forest cover of over 30 per cent of the land area, the state has 18 wildlife sanctuaries and four national parks that have tremendous potential for eco-tourism. On top of this, the historical heritage, stretching back to two millennia, has dotted the countryside with magnificent ancient monuments like the Konarak temple. Couple these with dance forms like Odissi and Chaau, and you have an irresistible tourist magnet.The state remains dirt poor despite all these resources. Its GDP growth rate is half the national average. So, what gives? There are a number of factors, but primarily it has been due to poor leadership. Barring Biju Patnaik, who personally initiated efforts to realise the state’s industrial potential, Orissa has been ill-served by its political masters in the past four decades. Their vision has stopped at personal gain, leaving the state bereft of basic infrastructure, the resources untapped and the bulk of the population scrambling for existence.Tribals in the state, who form 24 per cent of the population, whose main habitat is the remote forested and contiguous regions, are the hardest hit by this lack of development. This deprivation has alienated them from the government and led to the infiltration of Maoists into their habitats.A recent government white paper concedes that 14 of the 30 districts are affected by the Naxal insurgency. Ironically, these are the districts where most of the mineral resources are concentrated, thereby creating a big hurdle for tapping them. As of now, the state has no clue on how to tackle the Red menace. The police are too ill-equipped and ill-trained. Last year, there were 56 Maoist attacks in which 74 security personnel were killed.Yet another factor frustrating potential investors is the slow pace of land acquisition. More than five years have passed since the state received investment proposals totalling over Rs five lakh crore. Most of these remain stalled, as the land has still not been acquired.There was a time, back in the ’50s and early ’60s, when the government could easily acquire large tracts of land for projects like the Rourkela steel plant. The population then was much less and the people were not so aggressive about their rights. Today, not only has the population trebled but the multiplication of family members has led to fragmentation of holdings, making acquisition that much more difficult.There has also been a quiet intrusion of activists, some associated with Maoists, who have marshalled land owners, particularly in the tribal belts, into refusing to let go of their land. Thanks to these activists, even the offer of good relief and rehabilitation measures, on top of handsome compensation, which promises a way out of their penury, does not tempt the farmers to sell their lands.Even in cases where the state government has completed the acquisition process, it is not able to get the land vacated. The government treads on eggshells as far as this goes since the use of force has led to ugly incidents in which locals have died in police firing. Unable to find a way out, the state is now planning to relinquish the acquisition process to private entrepreneurs themselves.The same problem of land acquisition along with inordinate delays in statutory clearances, is holding up crucial infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, dams, ports, etc. This is why Orissa has one of the lowest proportion of PPP projects in the country for developing its infrastructure. Because of poor connectivity, exploiting its tourism potential remains a distant dream for the state. The facilities at the Bhubaneswar airport are a throwback to the Sixties. The bus network is primitive.Is there a way out of Orissa’s dilemma? Yes, but it will require courageous leadership which will not hesitate to fan out to the boondocks and win back the confidence of the people by attending to their welfare problems effectively. Some of the industrial projects where the government has confidence in the reputation and sincerity of the promoters in implementing all R&R conditions should be helped by way of interfacing with the landowners so that the land acquisition process is facilitated. A special team needs to be set up within the higher bureaucracy to focus on smoothening the way for infrastructure projects. And, of course, there is a need to create a special anti-Naxal security force, like neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has done, to tackle the military might of the militants, while their political influence is countered by attending to the welfare of the tribals.
nnsachi@yahoo.com

Source: http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Is+there+a+way+out+of+Orissa%E2%80%99s+dilemma?&artid=7myeByL0rR4=&SectionID=XVSZ2Fy6Gzo=&MainSectionID=XVSZ2Fy6Gzo=&SectionName=m3GntEw72ik=

Orissa tribal buys company shares to protest project

A long standing environment battle between an Indian corporate and Orissa tribals is now being carried to the streets of London.

An agitating tribal has come up with a unique strategy. He has bought a share in the company to appeal to the shareholders to not cut down acres of rich tropical forest in his state.

Sitaram Kuliski of the Dongria Kondh tribe, who lives on the foothills of the Niyamgiri mountains in Orissa, is protesting Vedanta Resources' proposed bauxite mining project in the Niyamgiri mountains.

Sitaram Kuliski says, “Thousands of my brothers and sisters have sent me here to appeal to Vedanta. I have come to ask shareholders and others help us to stop mining at Niyamgiri and to save our community from being destroyed.”

Environmentalists say the mine will destroy the area's ecosystem and threaten the future of the 8,000 strong Kondh tribe, for whom the Niyamgiri is 'sacred'.

Celebrity activist Bianca Jagger and singer Nitin Sawhney too have lent their support to the tribals cause.

Activist, Bianca Jagger says, “I firmly believe it’s important that corporations adhere to social and ethical values. We shareholders can make them understand that their projects should not endanger lives of indigenous people and not go against the environment and not contribute to climate change.”

On its part, Vedanta says it's bringing development to a backward region.

CEO, Vedanta Resources, M S Mehta says, “People are with us. They want this project to come up. They want this, for heath conditions. We don't see opposition.”

Vedanta says it has complied with the 32 conditions of the Supreme Court. In addition, its has also deposited crores of rupees with the Orissa government for compensatory forestry and peripheral development. The company is awaiting stage 2 forest clearance and plans to start mining as soon as possible. But one consent it may never get is that of the local tribals who have brought their protest from home to London.

96 die in Orissa Maoist attacks in 2008

Nearly 74 police personnel along with 22 civilians died in Naxal attacks in 2008. This is mentioned in the White Paper of the Home department. The Maoists executed at least 57 offensives at different places in 2008, the white paper informed.

It also read out that police arrested 120 Naxal cadres and recovered 785 weapons from their possession. “The state government also took a number of anti-Maoist measures. The state filled up the vacancies in police department and raised the strength of SOG jawans,” the white paper informed.

Meanwhile the red debate dominated the proceedings at Lok Sabha with the BJD members demanding enhanced budgetary allocation for tackling Maoist menace in Naxal-infested Orissa.

“The Centre would extend full cooperation to Orissa to tackle Maoist violence. The state has been demanding CRPF, Rs 20 cr for intelligence uplift and around Rs 100 cr for development. But the Centre is yet to come to the aid of the state in effective manner,” BJD MP Kalikesh Singhdeo said.

But Congress MP Bhakta Das batted for the Congress-led UPA at Centre saying that Orissa government ‘failed to utilize’ the resources given by Centre in the past. “The Centre has been extending financial aid to the state for tackling Maoist menace. But the state has failed to unitize it. It also failed to bring development in terms of health, education and transport in Naxal-hit regions forcing youths to join the Naxalite groups,” Das alleged.

They Are Our representatives

Making foreign tour with the govt money is not surprising in India and in Orissa as well. As they are representatives ,they are simply spending the combined share of all the people of Orissa, so representing us .

Surya, Prafulla most expensive Ministers of Orissa

After BJP’s Manmohan Samal, BJD’s Surya Narayan Patro and Prafulla Ghadai, have became the most expensive Ministers of poor State like Orissa. Samal during his term of office as Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, had maximum foreign tour while Patro who toured Thailand, London and USA during the 2005 and 2006, had incurred the maximum expenditure of Rs 5,22,024.

Interestingly, Finance Minister Ghadai, who is brother-in-laws of BJP leader Samal, stood behind Patro in terms of expenditure.

At least eight former and present ministers of the Orissa Government have toured foreign countries during the last nine years incurring an expenditure of Rs 20.33 lakhs.

Ghadhei, who visited Australia and Singapore during May this year , has spent Rs 4, 25,939.

Former Minister Golak Bihari Nayak had visited Malaysia and Thailand and spent Rs 60,925, the lowest among the Ministers

The other Ministers who went on foreign tours when in office were former Ministers B B Harichandan who visited Zurich, Geneva, London and Vienna at a cost of Rs2, 63,477, Surendra Nath Nayak spent Rs1,13,199 travelling to Israel, Egypt, South Africa, Jayanaryan Mishra incurred Rs 2,38,340 on his abroad tour of London, Paris and Geneva, Padmanav Behera spent Rs 2,12,478 for visiting Tehran.

Present Higher Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra who visited Indonesia, Italy and France during 2007 and 2008 while holding the tourism ministry incurred an expenditure of Rs 1,97,140, Mohanty said..

Look.....How our Tax Money they (MPs) Spends !!!!

The people to whom we say our representatives are spending the Govt money which we pay in tax in foreign tour ,when half of the people of the state are not able to get two bare meals to eat. It is conformed when one hear that eight former and present ministers of the Orissa government have toured foreign countries during the last nine years incurring an expenditure of Rs 20.33 lakhs.

Replying to a joint question of Dushmant Naik, Nihar Ranjan Mahananda and Yogesh Kumar Singh in the Orissa Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Raghunath Mohanty said State Revenue Minister Suryanarayan Patro who toured Thailand, London and USA during the 2005 and 2006, had incurred the maximum expenditure of Rs 5,22,024.

He is followed by Finance Minister P C Ghadhei who visited Australia and Singapore during May this year and spending Rs 4,25,939. Former Minister Golak Bihari Nayak had visited Malaysia and Thailand and spent Rs 60,925, the lowest among the Ministers The other ministers who went on foreign tours when in office were former Ministers B B Harichandan who visited Zurich, Geneva, London and Vienna at a cost of Rs2,63,477, Surendra Nath Nayak spent Rs1,13,199 travelling to Israel, Egypt, South Africa, Jayanaryan Mishra incurred Rs 2,38,340 on his abroad tour of London, Paris and Geneva, Padmanav Behera spent Rs 2,12,478 for visiting Tehran.

Present Higher Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra who visited Indonesia, Italy and France during 2007 and 2008 while holding the tourism ministry incurred an expenditure of Rs 1,97,140, Mohanty said.

Naveen hits out outlawed CPI (Maoists)

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has came down heavily on the outlawed CPI (Maoists), which is spreading mayhem in the State in the recent days.

Patnaik, replying to an adjournment motion on increasing Maoist activities in the Orissa Legislative Assembly (OLA), made it clear that the ultras are anti-nationals and have no scrupulous.

For the first time the Chief Minister used harshest words against the ultras during his 9-years rule, said a senior official.

Speaking extempore, Patnaik said that the State has already suffered a lot and it will not spare these anti-nationals to take over the administration.

He gave a clarion call to the members of the various political parties in the House to rise above political lines to fight out Maoist menace.

Chief Minister said that he has no respect for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which is not supporting the State Government with enough funds.

Though repeatedly, the State is asking for a dedicated chopper for fighting the Maoists, MHA is yet to favor with the same.

He was seen angry with MHA over the issue of withdrawal of 5 companies of CRPF from Kandhamal, where more than 3000 people are in relief camps.

Chief Minister disclosed that 59 Maoists have been captured, 8 ultras have been killed and 6 have surrendered before Orissa Police.

He said that more ultras are on surrender mode and the State’s Surrender Policy is facilitating them in this regard.

Lawmakers from the Maoist hit areas preferred to remain silent.

Not a single MLA from the worst-hit Maoist zones participated in the adjournment, while lawmakers from other areas discussed the issue at length, said a senior scribe reporting for a television channel.

Speaking on anonymity, a senior lawmaker of a Maoist hit area said that if they will open mouth against the ultras, they will not be able to move inside their respective Assembly segments, admitted he.

However MLAs from other areas participating in the debate urged the State Government to curb rising Maoist violence in the State.