Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Building a naveen state

DHRUTIKAM MOHANTY feels that Orissa’s CM Naveen Patnaik can become the head of state for the third consecutive term

At the age of 50, Naveen Patnaik entered politics, contested the Lok Sabha by-election in 1997, necessitated by his father Biju Patnaik’s death, and was elected an MP. Soon after, he formed a new party, faced fresh polls and became a Cabinet Minister at the Centre and, later, the CM of Orissa, both in 2000 and 2004. On 26 December, 2007, his Biju Janata Dal (BJD) celebrated its 10th anniversary, which also marks Naveen’s completion of a decade in Orissa politics. His phenomenal rise is like a fairy tale. His journey from a writer to a wily politician is interesting. In 1985, his first book on Indian costumes, ‘A Second Paradise’ was launched and sold over 30,000 copies in America within a few days. In 2008, he is being called a truly ‘developmental’ CM.

He was adjudged one of the best CMs in various polls conducted by media houses and industry associations. Moreover, he took the initiative of taking Orissa towards industrial revolution. In the recent past, the state has bagged the biggest FDI project – the Posco steel project with a proposed investment of Rs.52,000 crore. Within four years, the state has signed 105 MoUs with both domestic and foreign firms with an entailed inflow of Rs.277,400 crore. Big names like L.N. Mittal, Ratan Tata, Anil Agarwal and Anil Ambani have announced plans to set up projects in Orissa. One of the state’s top bureaucrat explains, “Partly because we have a system where if the CM says something, it will be done, nobody can oppose him. But mostly, this is perhaps the only state where you can meet the CM and be sure that he won’t ask you for money.” When asked about his much-lauded incorruptibility, Patnaik says, “I am not married. I don’t have children. Who am I going to leave all the money to? I have never been interested in possessions. If you own too many things, they end up owning you.”

Still, Patnaik is not free from corruption charges. BJP’s national VP Jual Oram criticized the CM for his alleged involvement in a multi-crore kickback in the case of the MoU signed between Orissa and South Korean steel major Posco. He demanded a CBI probe into the matter. Further, opposition Congress members have blamed the CM for closing the doors of government offices for new entrants in the name of reforms. Sivananda Ray, VP of Congress says, “Actually, in last seven years, employment generation in the government sector was almost zero.”

As a CM, Patnaik has taken many steps in areas such as economy, administration and social welfare. Specifically, during his tenures, the ever-decreasing financial condition of the state has improved. According to sources, in the year 1999- 2000, the state had to depend on overdrafts on 362 out of 365 days to manage the regular financial affairs. But today, the overdrafts have stopped. In 2001-02, the revenue deficit was over Rs 28,000 crore and the fiscal deficit was Rs.11,405 crore. They were down to Rs.11,190 crore and Rs.5,606 crore, respectively, in 2005-06.

But the CM he has not ignored his responsibility for social development and upliftment of the rural poor. Under his chief ministership, Orissa has launched many welfare schemes like Gopabandhu Gramin Yojana, a Rs.600 crore scheme for infrastructure development. It envisages the development of basic infrastructure such as electricity, roads and water in the rural interiors of 11 districts.

For the development of backward Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput districts, Patnaik has introduced a state-sponsored scheme known as Biju KBK Yojana in 2007. Under the Madhubabu Pension Yojana, the state has decided to provide pension to an additional three lakh people from January 2008.

In the beginning, Patnaik’s friends believed that ‘Pappu’, as they fondly call him, was too suave for the crass nature of Indian politics. His rivals held an identical view. They felt that he would soon return to his original vocation, literature and culture. But Patnaik has surprised, even shocked, them. Now, he is heading towards a third term as Orissa’s CM.

For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source :
IIPM Editorial, 2008
An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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