Response of MPs/MLAs
Dr. Giridhar Gamang, Ex-Chief Minister of Orissa and MP: He had the following solutions to offer
- The Government, bureaucracy and the people are all parts of a whole. Their role should be complementary.
- Displacement and growth should not be conflicting, a single line administrative structure needs to be promoted.
- Politics is the "administration of principles," and not pursuing one's own interest and agenda.
- It's significant for politicians to understand that whatever they do should be acceptable to the people. Being elected is not the most important thing, being accepted is.
- Escapism, blaming each other and shifting responsibility - have become the norm. But instead of pointing fingers at each other, we must debate on the solutions. It's important to know to whom the recommendations of the interface shall be sent to make it more effective
Mr. Tathagata Satpathy, MP:
Mr. Satpathy declared that the forest cover has depleted in a large way and has come down from 40% to 13% in Orissa, he informed. We do not want a repetition of South American and African experience where the societies have become disturbed, completely robbed of their natural resources, he added. Mr. Satpathy endorsed for a natural resource policy in Orissa. But it's important to know who would draft the policy, recruit the officials and implement it.
Mr. Narasingha Mishra, MLA, Orissa, Dy. leader of CLP
As a political representative of Bolangir district from the KBK area, one of the poorest in the country, Mr. Mishra apprised the participants about the numerous socio-economic problems afflicting the marginalized districts of Orissa.
How can we think of the development of the state when people from eight districts in Orissa do not live like humans and where starvation deaths, husbands mortgaging their wives, mothers selling their children still occur, he questioned. Displaced people have always been overlooked. People displaced in the Hirakud Dam Project are yet to be rehabilitated, said Mr. Mishra. People seem to have lost faith in democracy and when frustrated people take to violence or agitate. A new beginning is needed. In a democracy, it is the people's representatives who have to be answerable to the people and not the bureaucrats, opined Mr. Mishra. |
Mr. Narasingha Mishra
MLA, Orissa, Dy. Leader of CLP |
He concluded by saying that the complete overhaul of the present system was needed and that before anything can be constructed, something has to be destroyed.
Mrs. Sugnana Kumari Deo, MLA
She said that the lack of basic infrastructure in the KBK areas in Orissa prevented people from serving and investing there. Hence, the government. should first develop basic infrastructure for both the citizens and the government officials. Besides, development of agriculture, is the need of the hour in Orissa, she opined. Various loopholes in the wage structure for daily labourers should be looked at, and farm labourers should be given adequate wages. She also advocated the formation of Farmers' Clubs in Orissa so that farmers be given due importance and support. She ended on a positive note saying that the potential for development in Orissa is indeed high. However, alongwith the govt. the people themselves should take charge, she said giving successful examples of her own constituency in Khallikote.
Mr. A. Ravichandran, MP
The young MP from Tamilnadu, expressed his failure in not being able to comprehend the reason behind Orissa's underdevelopment despite being endowed with rich natural resources like minerals, water etc. The key lies in framing a proper natural resource management policy and utilizing the natural wealth, he proposed. Speaking on administrative reforms, he said that management of administrators was crucial for development of a state.
Mr. Ravichandran advocated the following suggestions:
- Development without a human face is bound to create aggression among the people. Hence, all development programmes should be framed keeping the people’s interest in mind, he said. Social leadership is also important.
- Development of agriculture is critical to the progress of Orissa.
- Innovative models of development have to be developed rather than aping other models.
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Mr. A. Ravichandran
MP, MDMK, Tamilnadu |
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