Monday, July 5, 2010

A comment on responsibilty of state Govt. towards distributing national institution in Orissa

When central govt proposed an institution in a state, location of such central institutions is largely decided by state Govt as it allots the land in any city. RTI answer given for IIT/CU also supports it. IIIT Berhampur was chosen by state Govt. In Rajasthan where institutes are distributed in all regions also chosen by state Govt. If Central govt announces city specific its a different case, but in Orissa the case was the former.

Infrastrcture does not come automatically, unless new establishments are made.Nobody is blaming anybody for everything, but things must be distributed for inclusive growth. In the nation it should be state wise, in the state it should in the district wise or at least in undivided district level, which is not working in Orissa.

Perhaps, we have been discussing together since childhood. With the starvation death striking over head of Kalahandi continuously, vast middle class people of Kalahandi who can trigger growth in the region are forgotten by policy makers. How many private players we say, we are not prepared for that at this moment in Kalahandi. We had school, college may not be of high quality but at least people like us could graduated, but afterwards both of us had to leave Kalahandi for higher studies, why? Now we serve the purpose of other nation/state/company and make ourselves satisfied, why? Vast majority middle class are either moving out for employments or making them satisfied with less deserving jobs. You know well, many of our friends who deserves better than what they are doing now in Kalahandi, why so?

All over the world, when new establishment comes it simultaneously brings better infrastructure as the demand grows, private player then joins and compounds the growth further, Bhubaneswar/Rourkela is good example in Orissa. BBSR had nothing except Govt. establishments. Rourkela was a small rural place in 1950s when Bhawanipatna was already a municipality having 1000 years of history. Now in 2000s where are they? Major boosts for Rourkela were SAIL & NIT (REC). At least I visited 4 universities/institutions world wide which were made in rural places, but now they themselves are towns/city with all basic infrastructures. American and European history also says same thing, like Boston, educational institution fuelling industrial growth. People in Bhubaneswar-Cuttack region have realized it and working, unfortunately our western Orissa people lacks such vision and we allow others to exploit the situation in their favour.

These common man issues was also raised by many (including a leading Odia news paper in editorial & MP) when we started moving for NISER/IIT demand for Orissa (Orissa is a poor and backward state in the nation like the case of Kalahandi in the state), now when Orissa achieved both, it is a history. The same news paper is praising the state Govt. and growth of BBSR in higher education. Such establishment is always directly or indirectly for a common man, from a tea seller, photocopy machine owner, builder, labourer, contractor, restaurant owner, theatre employees & owner, food supplier, vegetable seller, etc to engineer, doctor, parents, teachers, staff and students. A normal man might not require a hospital unless he is ill, and a person will not realize importance of small bread unless he is starving for it. Higher education sector is exactly like a hospital and small bread. It could help you in growth as well as bring/catalyse business in the surrounding.

Why our Kalahandi people suffer a lot for tertiary/secondary health? Is not common man problem? When AIIMS, railway & probably ESIC medical colleges (all central govt institutions visualized to be high standard) besides private APPOLO, LVPrasad, three private medical colleges are existing & six more newly proposed are being established in Bhubaneswar, why another fully state Govt. medical college is coming over there (capital medical college)? Of course, SCB medical college & SCB dental college are in through away distance from BBSR, whereas medical college in Kalahandi is being made by PPP, so far unsuccessful since 6 years. The demand to make it Govt one was turned down in the assembly recently, whereas 30 crore was allotted for capital medical college this year. I do not find any logic over here. Its not blame game rather it is the democratic right not to become exploited. When we do not realize our rights, people will take chance to exploit us like British did in India for centuries.

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