Monday 31 December 2018

THE SEA OF GALILEE AND THE DEAD SEA

The Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea receive their water from river Jordan. And yet, they are very, very different. Unlike the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee is pretty, resplendent with rich, colorful marine life. There are lots of plants and lots of fish too. 

Same region, same source of water, and yet while one sea is full of life, the other is dead. How come? Here apparently is why. The River Jordan flows into the Sea of Galilee and then flows out. The water simply passes through the Sea of Galilee in and then out - and that keeps the Sea healthy and vibrant, teeming with marine life.

But the Dead Sea is so far below the mean sea level, that it has no outlet. The water flows in from the river Jordan, but does not flow out. There are no outlet streams. It is estimated that over a million tons of water evaporate from the Dead Sea every day; leaving it salty. It is too full of minerals and unfit for any marine life. The Dead Sea takes water from the River Jordan, and holds it. It does not give.

Result? No life at all. Think about it. Life is not just about getting. It is about giving. We all need to be a bit like the Sea of Galilee. We are fortunate to get wealth, knowledge, love and respect. But if we don't learn to give, we could all end up like the Dead Sea. The love and the respect, the wealth and the knowledge could all evaporate; like the water in the Dead Sea.

If we get the Dead Sea mentality of merely taking in more water, more money, more everything, the results can be disastrous. Good idea to make sure that in the sea of your own life, you have outlets; many outlets. For love and wealth - and everything else that you get in your life, make sure you don't just get, you give too. Open the taps. And you'll open the floodgates to happiness.

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 (31st December, 2012 )

Friday 28 December 2018

RELATIONSHIP

I saw the young friend this morning by the side of the Mission Road, in front of the Hanuman Temple. He was saying his prayer. He smiled as soon as our eyes met. I was returning home and he was to go to the garden of the Temple. We moved on, together, towards our destinations. He has been regularly following my status updates in the Facebook, he said. I smiled. I find him a person ever eager to take up good causes--- to be of help to persons in need; to come forward to participate in cleaning the temple premises, to take a lone sickman to the hospital; to attend to funeral of people not even close to him. 

This morning he came up with a different issue. He told me about his mother in law. The lady is afflicted with obesity and has been suffering from various ailments as well. She used to go on walk with her husband regularly till a fateful day. She could not keep pace with him and at one stage she presumed he was still at some distance and she would be able to reach him. She walked on till she thought it appropriate to give up and return home. On return, she found him at home. 

From that day not only did she stop accompanying him on walk but stopped walking on her own as well and fell victim to obesity and ailments. My young friend then spoke about his efforts to motivate his wife to accompany him on walk. He feels his wife was adding weight and must have regular exercise. She, however, feels that her child was too small to be left alone. She promises to accompany him after the child grows up.

I could not decide whether his mother-in-law was wrong or her husband. But I remembered an incident, about another couple. Both were professionals. The man was driving the scooter and the lady was at the back. The scooter negotiated a road hump and the lady fell off. The unmindful driver moved on quite a distance till the silence at the back became loud enough. He drove back on the look out of the missing wife and found her with a few bruises and justifiable anger. Both being doctors, they went to the hospital where they worked. We soon came to know about this. After a few days, both visited us and the lady narrated her experience. Her husband was apologetic and pleaded guilty. We realised that the rancour had worn out. Their love for each other had made them forget the incident. I did not mention about this incident to my young friend this morning. But we did talk for some time about relationship.

“In a family the male member, I said, was more responsible to make relationship succeed. He has to be the leader in sacrifice, making adjustments, in counseling, in meeting crises. He has to be the ultimate dispenser of comfort, security and justice. The young man was not sure if I was correct. “In many families, the husband feels he was immortal. He would not make a will; he will keep financial secrets close to his chest; he would not disclose how much he is in debt and who the lenders are; nor will he say where he has sunk his money and how much has been given on loan and to whom. Suddenly death strikes and the lady finds herself totally helpless. This is pure and simple tyranny”, I said. 

I found him still unconvinced. “In many cases, the lady does not appreciate if the husband has helped someone needy even if the help was rendered to a person who was a blood relation. This attitude puts relationship on strain”, he said. “In such a case also, I would blame the husband, I said. He should have taken the wife into confidence. He should have explained to her the circumstances of the case and even should have suggested that she should take a decision in the matter. Family is not about perennial domination of either the husband or the wife; nor is it about permanent serfdom of either. It is an institution where there is no single cook. Here both must cook. And I would blame the man if the marriage is under strain”, I said. 

He still remained unconvinced. I smiled. “I don’t want you to agree, I want you to think”, I said. He was somewhat relieved and smiled. We parted company. He went towards the garden and I walked home.

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28th December, 2014

Thursday 27 December 2018

ଓଡିଶା ପାଇଁ ଆର୍ଥିକ ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ରତା ର ଆବଶ୍ୟକତା କାହିଁକି ?


 ଓଡିଶା ପାଇଁ ଆର୍ଥିକ ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ରତା ର ଆବଶ୍ୟକତା କାହିଁକି ?


" ବିକାଶ କଣ ତାହା ଆମେ ପ୍ରଦର୍ଶନ କରିଦେବୁ ; ଦକ୍ଷିଣ ପୂର୍ବ ଏସିଆ ର ବିକଶିତ ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ର ଭଳି ଆମ ରାଜ୍ୟ ହେଇ ପାରିବ | ଏଥିପାଇଁ ଆମକୁ ଆର୍ଥିକ ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ରତା ଦିଆଯାଉ "| ଏହି ମର୍ମରେ ବିଜେଡି ଅଧ୍ୟକ୍ଷ ଉଦ୍ବୋଧନ ଦେଇଥିବା ପ୍ରକାଶିତ ହୋଇଛି | ଶାଣିତ ଭାଷାରେ ଏହି ଉଦ୍ବୋଧନ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଶୃତିମଧୁର ହୋଇଥିବ | ଏହା ଏକ ଐତିହାସିକ ସନ୍ଦେଶ ଭାବରେ ଚିତ୍ରଣ ହୋଇଥିବା ଦୃଷ୍ଟିରୁ ଏହାର ଏକ ନିରାସକ୍ତ ତର୍ଜ୍ଜମା ଆବଶ୍ୟକ ମନେହୁଏ |
ଓଡିଶା ରାଜ୍ୟ ଭାରତର ଏକ ଅବିଚ୍ଛେଦ୍ୟ ଅଙ୍ଗବିଶେଷ ; ଭାରତର ସମ୍ବିଧାନ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଆମ ଦେଶ ପରିଚାଳିତ | ରାଜ୍ୟ ଓ କେନ୍ଦ୍ର ର ଆର୍ଥିକ ପରିଚାଳନା ସମ୍ବିଧାନରେ ଥିବା ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା ଦ୍ୱାରା ସମ୍ପାଦିତ ହୁଏ | ଅନୁସୃତ ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥାର ଶୃଙ୍ଖଳା ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଭାରତ ର ବିଭିନ୍ନ ରାଜ୍ୟ ନିଜ ବିକାଶ କରୁଛନ୍ତି | ଏହି ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥାରେ ଯେମିତି ଆନ୍ଧ୍ର ପ୍ରଦେଶ ପରିଚାଳିତ ହେଉଛି ପଶ୍ଚିମବଙ୍ଗ , ରାଜସ୍ଥାନ , ଓଡିଶା ଓ କର୍ଣାଟକ ମଧ୍ୟ ପରିଚାଳିତ ହେଉଛନ୍ତି | ଯଦି ଏହି ସମସ୍ତ ରାଜ୍ୟ ପ୍ରଚଳିତ ଆର୍ଥିକ ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥାରେ ସମଭାବରେ ପ୍ରଭାବିତ ହେଉଛନ୍ତି, ତେବେ ସେଇ ରାଜ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ବିକାଶରେ ତାରତମ୍ୟ ରହିଛି କାହିଁକି ?
ଉଦାହରଣ ଏହି ମନ୍ତବ୍ୟକୁ ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ କରିବ | ଯୋଜନା କମିଶନଙ୍କ ପରିସଂଖ୍ୟାନ ଅନୁଯାୟୀ ୨୦୧୩-୧୪ ରେ ଓଡ଼ିଶାରେ ଉତ୍ପାଦିତ କୃଷି ଓ ଆନୁସଙ୍ଗିକ କ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ ମୋଟ ଉତ୍ପାଦନ ମୂଲ୍ୟ ଥିଲା ୨୩୦୯୯ କୋଟି ଟଙ୍କା ; କିନ୍ତୁ ଆନ୍ଧ୍ର ର ପରିମାଣ ଥିଲା ୮୭୩୨୫ କୋଟି ଟଙ୍କାର ; କର୍ଣାଟକ (୪୧୧୫୧ କୋଟି); ରାଜସ୍ଥାନ (୪୯୬୫୮ କୋଟି); ପଶ୍ଚମ ବଙ୍ଗ ( ୬୨୪୨୦ କୋଟି) | ଉଦ୍ୟୋଗ କ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ ଏହି ପରିମାଣ -- ଓଡିଶା (୫୨,୨୧୪ କୋଟି) ; ଆନ୍ଧ୍ର (୧୦୬୮୦୧ କୋଟି); କର୍ଣାଟକ (୮୫୨୨୧ କୋଟି); ରାଜସ୍ଥାନ (୬୯୯୩୩ କୋଟି) ଓ ପଶ୍ଚିମବଙ୍ଗ (୭୨୩୬୨ କୋଟି) | ପ୍ରତି ୧ହଜାର ଜନ୍ମିତ ଜୀବିତ ସନ୍ତାନ ମଧ୍ୟରୁ ଶିଶୁ ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ହାର ଏହି ରାଜ୍ୟ ମାନଙ୍କରେ ୨୦୧୬ ମସିହାରେ ଥିଲା ଯଥାକ୍ରମେ -- ୪୪, ୩୪, ୨୪, ୪୧ ଓ ୨୫ | ଦେଶର ସମଗ୍ର ଉତ୍ପାଦନ (ଜିଏସଡ଼ିପି ) ର ୧୪.୪୨% ଭାଗ ଥିଲା ମହାରାଷ୍ଟ୍ର ର , ପଶ୍ଚିମବଙ୍ଗ ଭାଗ ଥିଲା ୬.୭୫%' କର୍ଣାଟକର; ୫.୮୭%, ରାଜସ୍ଥାନ ର ଭାଗ ଥିଲା ୪.୯୪% ' ଆନ୍ଧ୍ର ର ୪.୪୩% ଓ ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଥିଲା ମାତ୍ର ୨.୬୧% |
ଏହି ଚିତ୍ରରୁ ଜଣାପଡେ ଆମେ କେମିତି ବିକାଶ ପ୍ରଦର୍ଶନ କରୁଛେ | ଯଦି ଆମେ କୌଣସି କାରଣରୁ ଆର୍ଥିକ ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ରତା ପାଇବା , ତାହାହେଲେ ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରର ଅନ୍ୟ ରାଜ୍ୟମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ପାଇବେ | ଆଜିର ଶୃଙ୍ଖଳା ଭିତରେ ଥାଇ ଯଦି ଆନ୍ୟ ରାଜ୍ୟମାନେ ଆମ ରାଜ୍ୟ ତୁଳନାରେ ଅଧିକ ଫଳପ୍ରଶୁ ହେଇପାରିଛନ୍ତି ତେବେ ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ରତା ପାଇଲେ ସେ ତ ଆକାଶ ଛୁଇଁବେ ; ଆମେ କେଉଁଠି ଥିବା ?
ପ୍ରାୟ  ଦୁଇ ଦଶନ୍ଧି କାଳ  ଶାସନରେ ଥିବା ସତ୍ତ୍ୱେ ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ବିକାଶ ଗତି ନୈରାଶ୍ୟଜଣକ | ଏହା ଜଣ ଅସନ୍ତୋଷ  ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରିବା ସ୍ୱାଭାବିକ | ଏହି ସମ୍ଭାବନାକୁ ଏଡ଼ାଇବା ପାଇଁ ଆର୍ଥିକ ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ରତା ପ୍ରସଙ୍ଗ ଉତଥାପାନ କରାଯାଇଥିବା ମନେହୁଏ |

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Monday 24 December 2018

THE LOUD-MOUTHED MAN AND HIS SILENT WIFE




While my car slowed down to get into the main road from a lane, I saw a man walking cautiously and trying to cross the busy road. A lady was behind, at a distance and the man appeared to be escorting her with great respect. I could make out he was speaking soft and surely advising her to be careful. Since he was walking close to my car, I recognised the man. He sells vegetables in the neighbourhood and makes brisk business. I could see affection and care in his eyes. He was leading his Queen, I thought. There was no doubt in my mind that the lady he was escorting was his wife. I admired this man and for a moment even forgot that he always sold vegetables with very high profit. I watched both of them as long as my car and the driver allowed me.

The car was now picking up speed and I remembered an experience some years ago. I and my wife had visited a diagnostic centre for our routine fasting blood examination. While my wife waited on a sofa I was completing the registration formalities at the front office. A man, speaking in a loud voice, was entering the arrival lounge of the diagnostic centre. I could not have missed noticing him. He was followed by a lady who seemed a bit subdued. The man soon pushed an unsuspecting customer in front who was waiting for his turn at the front office desk and loudly asked the lady to come and say her name, age etc. The lady appeared resentful but complied with the registration formalities quietly.

My wife and I went to the blood collection chamber when our turn came; but I saw the loud-mouthed man and the lady already waiting at the door even though their turn was yet to come. Before we could take our seat for the technician to attend to us, the man shouted at the lady to walk fast and occupy a seat before the technician. He almost pushed her forward. For the first time did I hear her soft voice of reason. She said she would take the seat only when her turn came. The man was fuming.

After our job was done, we were about to leave the premises and walk to our car when I heard the loud-mouthed man again; from behind. He was still speaking loud at the submissive wife following him at a safe distance. The man's demeanour gave the message that he was resentful of the torture the lady had inflicted on him by making him waste his morning on this avoidable job of escorting her to the diagnostic centre.

My wife had restrained me when I was about to reach the man to teach a lesson on how to behave. I kept the anger to myself and got into the car.

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ଅଜା ଆଈଙ୍କ ବାଘମାମୁ ଓ ବୁଢ଼ୀ ଅସୁରୁଣୀ ଗପ


ଛୋଟ ପିଲାମାନେ ଗପ ଶୁଣିବାକୁ ଭଲ ପାଆନ୍ତି : ଶୋଇବା ବେଳେ ଏହି ଆବଶ୍ୟକତା ତାଂକର ବେଶୀ ଦେଖା ଯାଏ | ଘରେ ଯଦି ଜେଜେବାପା ଜେଜେମା ବା ଅଜା, ଆଈ ଥାଆନ୍ତି , ତେବେ ଗପ ଶୁଣାଇବା ସେମାନଂକ ର ଦାୟିତ୍ବ ହେଇଥାଏ | କାଳକାଳ ରୁ ଆମ ଘର ମାନଂକରେ ଛୋଟ ପିଲାଂକ ମନପସନ୍ଦ ଅସୁର ଅସୁରୁଣୀ କଥା; ବାଘମାମୁ କଥା ; ପରୀ କଥା : ରାଜକୁମାରୀ କଥା ଇତ୍ୟାଦି ଗପ ଚଳି ଆସିଚି | ଏମିତି ଗପ ଗୁଡିକର ସଂକଳନ ଆବଶ୍ୟକ ହେଲାଣି | ଲିଖିତ ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ତ ହେବା ଉଚିତ ; କିନ୍ତୁ ବେଶୀ ଭଲ ହବ ଏହି ଗପ ଗୁଡିକ ପୁସ୍ତକରେ ଲିପିବଦ୍ଧ ହେବା ସହିତ କାହାଣୀ ଗୁଡିକ ଉପଯୁକ୍ତ ଶୈଳୀରେ କୁହାଯାଇ  ରେକର୍ଡ଼ କରାଯିବ | ୟୁ ଟ୍ୟୁବ ରେ ଏହି ରେକର୍ଡ  ହେଇଥିବା ଗପଗୁଡିକ ଛୋଟ ପିଲା ମାନେ ଶୁଣିବେ | ନାନା କାରଣ ଯୋଗୁଁ ଅନେକ ପିତା ମାତା ଓଡ଼ିଆ ପଢି ପାରୁ ନାହାନ୍ତି ; କିନ୍ତୁ ଏପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ପରିବାରରେ ସେମାନେ ଓଡ଼ିଆ କହୁଚନ୍ତି ବା ଓଡ଼ିଆ କଥା ବୁଝି ପାରୁଚନ୍ତି | ଭାଷା କହିବା ଏବଂ ବୁଝିବା ସହଜରେ ଲୁପ୍ତ ହେବନି ; ବରଂ ବିଦେଶରେ ବା ଆମ ଦେଶର ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଅଂଚଳରେ ବାସ କରୁଥିବା ଓଡ଼ିଆ ପରିବାର ସେମାନଂକ ଛୋଟ ପିଲା ମାନଂକୁ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଗପ ୟୁ ଟ୍ୟୁବ ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ଶୁଣାଇ ପାରିବେ |
ଆଜି ଏହି ମର୍ମରେ ଜଣେ ବନ୍ଧୁ ତାଂକର ସଂକଳ୍ପ ସମ୍ବନ୍ଧରେ ମୋତେ ସୂଚନା ଦେଲେ ଏବଂ ମୋର ମତାମତ ଜାଣିବାକୁ ଚାହିଁଲେ | ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ଆନନ୍ଦିତ ହେଲି |  ସେ ଅବଶ୍ୟ ପ୍ରଥମେ ଆମ ଭାଷାର ମହାରଥୀ ମାନଂକର ରଚନା ଗୁଡିକ  ଶବ୍ଦ ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ସୁରକ୍ଷିତ ରଖିବା ଯୋଜନା ରଖିଛନ୍ତି |ଏହା ମଧ୍ୟ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନୀୟ ପଦକ୍ଷେପ | ଅମେ ସମସ୍ତେ ତାଂକ ଉଦ୍ୟମରେ ସହାୟକ ଭୁମିକା ବହନ କରିବାକୁ ଅନୁରୋଧ କରୁଚି | କିନ୍ତୁ ଅବିଳମ୍ବେ ଛୋଟ ପିଲାଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ପୁରୁଷ ପୁରୁଷ ଧରି ଯେଉଁ ଗପ ଗୁଡିକ ଚାଲି ଆସିଛି ସେଗୁଡିକର ରେକର୍ଡିଙ୍ଗ ଅବିଳମ୍ବେ ହେଉ | ବିଦେଶ ରେ ବସବାସ କରୁଥିବା ଉଦ୍ୟୋଗୀ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ବନ୍ଧୁମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରୁ କେତେଜଣ ଏହି ପ୍ରସ୍ତାବ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକାରୀ କରିବାକୁ ନିବେଦନ କରୁଛି | ଆମ ମାତୃଭାଷା ଅମର ହେଉ ; ଯୁଗେ ଯୁଗେ ଏହାର ଗାରିମା ଅକ୍ଷୁର୍ଣ ରହୁ |

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24th December, 2016

Sunday 23 December 2018

ଭାବିଥିଲି, ରାତି ପାହିବନି

ଗତକାଲି ଥିଲା ବର୍ଷର ଦୀର୍ଘତମ ରାତ୍ରି | ଭାବିଲି ଏଥର ସୁର୍ଯୋଦୟ ହେବ ; ଆଲୋକ ରାଜତ୍ୱ କରିବ | ଯନ୍ତ୍ରଣାର ଅନ୍ତ ହେବ ; ମୁଢତା ଅପସରିଯିବ ଏବଂ ଜ୍ଞାନର ରାଜତ୍ୱ ହେବ | ଏହି ଭାବନା କେତେବର୍ଷ ପୂର୍ବେ ଡିସେମ୍ବର ବାଇଶ ତାରିଖରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ମନକୁ ଆସିଥିଲା | ସେହି ଭାବନା ର ପ୍ରତିଫଳନ ରେ ଦୁଇଧାଡ଼ିର ଗୋଟିଏ କବିତା ଲେଖିଥିଲି | ଆଜି ଏହାକୁ ପଢି ଭାବିଲି ପୁଣି ଥରେ ସେଇ ଦୁଇ ଧାଡିକୁ ସାମାନ୍ୟ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ କରି ଦୋହରାଇବି |
ଭାବିଥିଲି, ରାତି ପାହିବନି

"ଭାବିଥିଲି, ରାତି ପାହିବନି,
କିନ୍ତୁ ବାଡି ଧରି ଲୋକେ
ପ୍ରାୟ କୋଡିଏ ଫୁଟିଆ ଢାମଣା ଟାକୁ
ପିଟି ପିଟି ଜଙ୍ଗଲକୁ ଘଉଡେଇ ଦେଲେ
ଲମ୍ବା ରାତି ସାରା
ଫଁଫଁ କରି ଶୁଆଇ ଦଉ ନ ଥିଲା |
ଏତେଦିନ ପରେ
ପୁଣି ଥରେ ପାହାନ୍ତିଆ କଜଳପାତି
ଗୀତ ଶୁଭିଲା |"
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Saturday 22 December 2018

ବୃକ୍ଷରୋପଣ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକ୍ରମ

ଅଜା , ଜେଜେବାପା ଲଗେଇଥିବା ଗଛରୁ ଆଜି ଆମ ରାଜ୍ୟର ଅସଂଖ୍ୟ ପରିବାର ତାଂକ ବାଡିର ନଡିଆ , ପଇଡ ଭୋଗ କରୁଛନ୍ତି | ଆଜି ମଧ୍ୟ ଏହି ପରମ୍ପରା ଜଣେ ବୃଦ୍ଧକୁ ଗୁଣ୍ଡିଚା ଦିନ ତା ବାଡିରେ ଛୋଟ ନଡିଆ ଗଛଟିଏ ପୋତିବାକୁ ପ୍ରେରଣା ଦେଇଥାଏ | 
କିନ୍ତୁ ଆମ ସରକାର ଯେତେବେଳେ ବୃକ୍ଷରୋପଣ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକ୍ରମ ସମ୍ପର୍କରେ ନିଷ୍ପତ୍ତି ନିଅନ୍ତି , ବହୁଳ ଅର୍ଥ ବରାଦ ହୁଏ , ଶାମିଆନା ଟଣାହୁଏ ; ଗାଲିଚା ବିଛାଯାଏ; ଟେବୁଲ ଚୌକୀ ଆସେ; ଦାମୀ ଫୁଲରେ ମଣ୍ଡପ ସଜା ହୁଏ ; ଡାକବାଜି ଯନ୍ତ୍ର ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା ହୁଏ; ପ୍ରେସ୍ ପ୍ରତିନିଧି କାମେରା , କଲମ ଇତ୍ୟାଦି ଧରି ଆସନ୍ତି ; ଭୋଜିଭାତ ହୁଏ ; ଭିଆଇପି କଷ୍ଟରେ କମରକୁ ଅଲ୍ପ ଲୁଆଇଁ ଚାରାଟିକୁ ଆଗରୁ ଖୋଳାହେଇଥିବା ଗାତ ଭିତରକୁ ଫୋପାଡିଦେଇ କାମେରାକୁ ଚାହିଁ ସ୍ବଳ୍ପ ହସିଦିଅନ୍ତି ଆଉ ପାଣିଝରାଟିଏ ଧରି ଦଶ ସେକେଣ୍ଡ ଚାରାଉପରେ ଆଶୀର୍ବାଦ ସ୍ବରୁପ ପାଣି ଛିଂଚି ଦିଅନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଆଗରୁ ଲେଖା ହେଇଥିବା ଦୁଇ ଧାଡି ମାଇକ ଆଗରେ ପଢିଦେଲା ବେଳେ ସମସ୍ତେ କାଗଜ ପ୍ଲେଟରୁ ସିଂଘଡା ଖାଇବାରେ ବ୍ୟସ୍ତ ଥାଆନ୍ତି | ଶୁଭ ଦିଆଯିବା ପରେ ଆମନ୍ତ୍ରିତ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିମାନେ ଯିବାପରେ କିଛି ଚାରା ରୋପଣ ହୁଏ ଏବଂ ଏବଂ ଠିକାଦାର ତାର ବାଡରେ ଚାରାକୁ ସୁରକ୍ଷିତ ରଖିବା ଦାୟିତ୍ବ ନିର୍ବାହ କରେ | ମିଡିଆରେ ଏହି ଯୁଗାନ୍ତକାରୀ ପଦକ୍ଷେପ ସମ୍ପର୍କରେ ସୂଚନା ଦିଆଯାଏ | ବେଶ୍ , ଏତିକି | ସମସ୍ତ ସମ୍ପୃକ୍ତ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ଏସମ୍ପର୍କରେ ଆଉ ଚିନ୍ତା କରନ୍ତି ନାହି | ଯେମିତି ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ବନ ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପ | କେତେ ଗଚ୍ଛ ବଂଚିଲା ; କେବେ ଠାକୁରଂକ ରଥ ପାଇଁ ଏହି ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପରୁ କାଠ ବାହାରିବ, ସେ କଥା ଅପ୍ରାସଂଗିକ ହେଇଯାଏ ସମସ୍ତଂକ ପାଇଁ |
 ଏବେ ପୁଣି ଆଉ ଗୋଟିଏ ଐତିହାସିକ ନିଷ୍ପତ୍ତି ହେଇଚି ; ନଈକୁଳରେ କୋଟିଏ ଗଚ୍ଛ ଲାଗିବ | ନଈବନ୍ଧରେ ବାଜା ବାଜିବ, ଭୋଜିଭାତ ହବ | ଆମେ ପୁଣି ଆନନ୍ଦ ନେବା |

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22nd December, 2018

Thursday 20 December 2018

STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPING BACKWARD REGIONS OF ODISHA .




We are yet to do any meaningful planning for each of our Districts. Instead of avoiding a uniform approach in our development programme, our thrust should have been on harnessing the specialty of a District for its optimal development. For example, a place known for its unique tourist potential should not have been offered only a tiny tourist lodge as a part of a state plan scheme. We talk and write about Daringbadi and refer it as the Kashmir of Odisha; but we do not develop such a place for tourists in any meaningful manner. Whenever big investment has been made in backward regions of the state it has been only due to the compulsion of availability of natural resources in those areas. That explains why Rourkela, Sunabeda or Damanjodi developed. These places are hosts to major industries. We have, however,exhibited myopia while planning. This approach has led to wilting of even ancient urban centres like Sambalpur; Berhampur; Jeypore; Baleshwar. In such a cold approach to regional planning, underdeveloped places, despite hospitable climate and great natural endowment, continue to languish. If we continue with “business as usual” approach, we would only let obscurantism to flourish. This is unacceptable. Such an approach would only accentuate social divide on the basis of caste, religion and exploitation leading to strife. Picturesque places would turn safe hideouts for extremists.

Kandhamal District is rich in natural endowment but has remained as one of the poorest in the country. It spreads over an area of 7654 sq kms; is larger than the state of Sikkim. It has a low population density of only eighty per sq km. Its total population of six and half lakhs is larger than the population of Sikkim. Only about 50,000 people live in urban centres. Penetration of electricity has been modest and its use confined to a few semi-urban centres. Only 23.5% of its total area is suitable for agricultural exploitation. High land, suitable for horticultural activities, accounts for over 82% of the agricultural land. Out of the 2515 villages of the district, only 72 villages are reasonably big; each having a population of a thousand and above. 208 villages have population varying between 500 and 1000. More than 85% of the villages of the district are small ones, each having population of less than 500. These villages being small ones are deprived of many benefits of Bharat Nirman programmes on connectivity; electrification; national rural health scheme and primary education. Unless this important issue is addressed satisfactorily, the tribal families inhabiting these small villages would be only sliding down on human development index. Large areas around Daringbadi and G Udaigiri are ideal for floriculture where gladioli, tube rose and marigold can be grown throughout the year. Most parts of the district offering ideal agro- climatic conditions could have meaningful development in horticulture, floriculture, and dairy and bring about employment opportunity for the entire population. Unfortunately, a holistic and sustainable development-model in these sectors has not been taken up so far. Grinding poverty therefore has been continuing for generations

What I am now suggesting for Kandhamal has relevance for other disadvantaged Districts as well. An intense dose of development impetus would only enable the population to come out of this unacceptable syndrome of acute deprivation. We should earmark about three hundred hectares of land near Daringbadi or Belghar or Phulbani and develop it as the District Growth Hub (DGH). We promote a Medical College; a Residential Public School of national stature; a few good hotels including a star Hotel like the Mayfair Hotel in Gangtok; a modern Hospital of a well known group and a few non polluting industries in the DGH. We should promote construction of around a thousand modern residential units in this zone. We need not worry on the issue of accessibility of the DGH. Gangtok’s importance or attraction has not got compromised in any manner even if it is accessed by a 125 km road from the nearest airport at Bagdogra or from the nearest rail head at Siliguri. We need, of course, to make the Bhubaneswar-Phulbani Highway a worthwhile four-lane Highway. Government of India have the model of development of ultra mega power projects. Haryana is developing Mohali close to Chandigarh. The model I have indicated is somewhat similar. Along with this, we should have other initiatives for the development of the District. These may include the following.

We may prevail upon the Ministry of Defence to set up a large in-house agro-veterinary farm in the District for production and processing of fruits, milk and poultry for catering to the requirements of our armed forces. This farm should be able to provide job opportunities to many local youth and will also act as a model so that the local population takes to mixed farming on a large scale. The central government may set up a training institute of para military forces. The hilly terrain of the district provides ideal locations for such a facility. Establishment of a big paramilitary training institute with a large number of men in uniform supported by modern weapons and other equipment would act as a deterrent to the fundamentalists and extremists. The state should strive for securing from the central government fiscal concession like holiday on central excise for at least ten years on new industries in the areas of pharmaceutical products; floriculture and food processing. This would promote appropriate industrial activity in the District; create employment opportunities and expedite economic growth of the population. The District should secure a special dispensation for all its villages to be eligible for all programmes under Bharat Nirman. Connectivity should receive the highest priority for all the villages. Under the Sarva Sikshya Abhiyan, each primary school would normally have two rooms; but for this District, every primary school should have two more rooms with toilet and kitchen so that teachers live in the same campus. The school complex should be electrified.

We must take note of what is happening in some states like Gujarat where new investments in various sectors are just pouring in. We can also do it in Odisha as well, provided we think and act big and noble. I would suggest the Chief Secretary introduces an annual retreat of three days for all the thirty Collectors in a backward District so that they discuss freely with the Chief Secretary and come up with appropriate plans for the underdeveloped Districts and implementation of such plans. To start with, plans should be drawn up for all KBK Districts and the Districts of Kandhamal; Boudh and Deogarh. This would make the Collectors more creative and productive and make our planning and development process more District-centric. It will be a good idea to have the first retreat somewhere in Kandhamal District. Development of Kandhamal should be accepted as a worthwhile challenge by the state’s bureaucracy.

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21st December, 2012

Wednesday 12 December 2018

WOULD ODISHA HAVE A NEW REGIONAL PARTY ?


                                       

Results of the election in Telangana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram have once again demonstrated the healthy dynamics of India’s polity. While voters in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram have voted out the incumbent governments, voters of Telangana reiterated their confidence on the incumbent government. Voters’ growing disillusionment with the BJP which had surfaced in the last election to the Gujarat legislature, showed more pronouncedly in the just concluded election to the legislatures of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Results in these three states demonstrated revival and rejuvenation of the Congress Party.  

 Election to Odisha Assembly, barely six months away, would Odisha prefer the way of Telangana and endorse the continuance of the incumbent government or go the way voters in the other four states did? Would Congress Party in Odisha quickly set its house in order, forge ahead as a strong political force and perform well? Would BJP in Odisha be now more active to perform better both in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Odisha? These are some of the issues that have surfaced following the just concluded elections in the five states.

  We need to look at some important political developments that have taken place after the last election five years ago. BJP has, in the meantime, emerged as a cohesive, organised and strong force and seems to be fine-tuning its strategy to offer itself as a viable alternative to BJD.  Out of those important Biju loyalists who have been made to leave the BJD, while some have accepted the ouster as a fait accompli, a few, notably Damodar Rout and Baijayant Panda, have continued to be active in political life drawing positive response from sections of the population. Two erstwhile BJP leaders, Dillip Ray and Bijoy Mohapatra have left the party amidst growing speculations about their imminent return to BJD. Odisha Congress, in the changed context, may perhaps stall desertion of a few important leaders who reportedly have been planning to join the BJD. The Party may perform well in areas which have been traditionally Congress strongholds.

Odisha needs to take a pause at this stage and evaluate how the uninterrupted rule of a regional Party for four terms has benefitted the state and its people. Many people view that the successive resounding mandates in favour of the regional Party has been, to a great extent, worked out through selective politicisation of the cutting-edge level bureaucracy, liberal application of freebies and a permissive mindset facilitating unjust enrichment of those who either wield or are close to power.  About 85 lakhs out of 96 lakh families in the state avail of subsidised rice for which the Centre spends twenty-five to thirty rupees per kilogram of rice but the BJD’s popularity soars. The fact that about 85% of the state’s population is in need of subsidised rice points to the widespread poverty of the state despite claims to rapid progress made during the BJD rule. BJD government keeps reiterating its demand for a special category status for the state, again confirming the state’s persisting backwardness. Job opportunities in the organised sector continues to be scarce and share of organised sector employment in public and private sector is grossly skewed in the ratio of 85:15. There has been a decline in employment in the organised sector from 7.95 lakh in 2013 to 5.03 lakh in 2015. Development agenda of the BJD for Odisha in the two decades remains unclear. Some decisions, including the charade over the Mahanadi, appeared impromptu. In important sectors of development like school education, irrigation, cash-crop farming, land reforms, textiles, small and cottage industries, the track record over nearly two decades has been worrisome.  Those youths who are poor in skill and deficient in academic excellence, end up either unemployed or employed in modest jobs in different states. The Government, many feel, is now afflicted with fatigue and anti-incumbency sentiments. The state finds itself at the crossroads.

Different political forces of the state, at this juncture, need therefore to evolve an appropriate strategy to ensure meaningful development of the state and its human resources. There is talk about formation of a new Party comprising senior and experienced public men, many having long experience in different Parties including the BJD. In the situation the state is now in, forming a new Regional Party seems to be in the overall interest of the state. In 2019 the new Party may not emerge as the largest Party but could emerge as a strong force to play a decisive role in the process of formation of a new government. It is time, stakeholders gave this possibility a quick and serious thought.

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Tuesday 4 December 2018

MY HEADMASTER




By the time I completed my school education in 1958, I had studied in eight schools at different places like Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Koraput and Bhubaneswar and I would not remember an occasion when my school at any of these places would be without a headmaster—not even in the Government High School of Koraput. On the other hand, the teachers in Koraput School I was fortunate to study under, had made such a deep impression on me and had sharpened my sensibilities and intellect. I would mention about my respected teacher Shri Fakira Charan Patnaik who would almost hypnotize all the children of the entire class while teaching. If he was teaching tragedy, he would be found weeping with tears rolling down his eyes; while on comedy, he would giggle like a two year old child. Such a genius he was and what versatility his personality had! As if providence had sent him to this world to be a great teacher and nothing but a teacher! When I see him today – he makes special effort to see me when he comes to Bhubaneswar from Nayagarh, I still look in him that teacher teaching me in that class room in the High School at Koraput. While he was the Head Master of Nayagarh High School, he had persuaded me to attend the annual function of the school. I was then the Director of Community Development and Panchayati Raj of Government of Orissa. He also had invited Shri Gopal Chandra Patnaik who was his teacher. I still remember his excitement on the podium while he had his student that is me, on one side and his teacher Shri Patnaik on the other side of his seat. After the function was over, I went to his house at his command and he and his wife treated me to a delicious dinner. His father was sick when he was at Koraput. He preferred to stay on in the school, in stead of being with his ailing father at Nayagarh as he had to complete the syllabus before the examination. One day while he was teaching us he received a telegram delivered to him in the class room by the peon of the school. He preferred to put it in the pocket without opening it. After the class was over only did he go through the telegram which conveyed the news of the passing away of his father. Such was the character of this great teacher and he had made tremendous impact on my personality. My father was the Collector and District Magistrate in Koraput, a highly venerated and exalted position; but this had meant no special favour either to me or my sisters who were studying in the school. All teachers of the school displayed commendable egalitarian approach to the students. The meritorious ones got rewarded through high marks and the dim-wits got special attention of the teachers.

We moved to Bhubaneswar in the year 1957 when my father was transferred to the Secretariat. I got admitted to the Capital High School in the final year of the school. My Head Master was the formidable Shri Ganeswar Misra. The mere mention of his name used to evoke fear in the students. He was happy to get me in the school. Somehow he had come to know that I was good at study and would make him realize his desire of having one of his students in the list of the best ten students in the Matriculation Examination in the entire state of Orissa—a distinction Capital High School was yet to achieve. Hardly did he realize that I was good only in a small school like the High School at Koraput where we were only sixteen students in the class and without much effort I was standing first and the second student was at a great distance. Capital High School was much bigger, competition was stiff. I secured the third position in the pre test examination of Class XI. Bhavani Sivaraman stood first, Biswambar was second. With that performance certificate I confronted the Head Master. He singled me out and asked me to read out in the class the marks I had secured in different subjects. I was scared and started off with the subject in which I had fared badly. “52 out of 100 in Science,” I blurted out and then there was a volley of admonition from him. I could not read out my marks in other subjects as my feeble words would certainly have been drowned in the volley of strong words of admonition. The pungency of the words did sting me; I took my seat. Head Master taught us for some time thereafter and the class was over. His words did have a tinge of remorse and disappointment. I realized that I had let down my Head Master; his dreams have been shattered by an incompetent student on whom he had too high expectations. After a couple of months, we took the test, called the Test before the Matriculation Examination. I improved my position a bit by standing second in the class. I had had no encounter with the Head Master this time. He had made his assessment about me. After a few months, we took our final examination. The results were declared and Capital High School had the distinction for the first time to have one of its students that was me, in the list of the best ten students of the state. That was my GURU DAKSHINA to my great Head Master who had the capacity to bring the best out of mediocrity.

A child has tremendous potentiality; it has the gift of divinity unpolluted by ambition and greed. A great teacher helps a student to blossom. I therefore shudder at the satanic strategy in making our schools starve of teachers. Have real enemies of the state decided to make this state a land of illiterates? Must we accept this situation as normal? I would earnestly plead for revival of all our schools in the state be those at Motu or Jarada; Gurundia or Tumudibandh. People of the state must take a faltering government to task and ensure that our children have a right to study in well run schools.
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HIS FOOTBALLER HEROES

By now, Sidhant has developed new interest. He showed me a few postage-stamp sized pictures, kept in great care in his book-shelf. He looked at me with concern and surprise when I failed to recognise those faces. They were his heroes. But he could not reconcile to a situation when his omniscient grandfather could not even recognise one of the faces. They were Neymar, Ronaldo and Messi. The more I would make efforts to keep him away from those names and their exploits so that I could continue teaching him a chapter from his Science Book and explain to him the difference between “hibernation” and “aestivation”, the more insistent he would be in talking about these three illustrious footballers. He soon ceased to be my regular student for an hour in the evening and preferred, instead, to be a listener while I would read out, at his request, some pages of his favourite story book, “Gateaway” of Jeff Kinney.


He loved to get up very early on a day there is no school and is fond of sleep on other days till he is coaxed and forced by parents to leave the bed barely thirty minutes before the school bus arrived. The day we were to leave Bangalore was a Sunday. I found him active and jovial at quarter to six in the morning. He came to me and, with a smile, handed me a tiny envelop with a request that I should open it only on reaching Bhubaneswar. It was his gift to me, he said, in his sweet voice.

He accompanied us to the airport. We got into the battery-car and he was making efforts to remain calm while I could see his emotions swelling within. At his age, his elder brother, now 16, was even more sentimental. Now grown up, he got ready for his coaching class and after breakfast he sought our blessings, touched our feet and walked with a smile to catch an Uber taxi to take him to the coaching centre. Sidhant was now flanked by his parents while the battery-car moved on. 

After we settled down in the departure lounge Sidhant called. They were in a restaurant on the way. He asked me if I had opened the envelop. I hadn’t because that would have been a breach of promise.    I told him. He was happy. I asked him if the stamp-sized picture he had pasted on the envelop was of Ronaldo. He laughed loud and said it was Neymar. His next question was surely to test my intelligence. Which country does Neymar play for? He asked. “Argentina”, I replied. He laughed again and said Messi is from Argentina and Neymar, from Brazil. I assured him I would now remember. 

He then spoke about the gift. The envelop contained one hundred twenty rupees which he has gifted to both of us. That was all he had of his “pocket money”.
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Monday 3 December 2018

ଆମେ ସୋସାଲ ମିଡିଆକୁ କିପରି ବ୍ୟବହାର କରୁଚୁ

ମୋର ଜଣେ ବନ୍ଧୁ ଆମେ ସୋସାଲ ମିଡିଆକୁ କିପରି ବ୍ୟବହାର କରୁଚୁ ସେ ବିଷୟରେ ସଂକ୍ଷେପରେ ମୋ ମତ ଜାଣିବାକୁ ଇଛାକଲେ | ଏକ ବ୍ୟାପକ ପ୍ରସଂଗକୁ ଚୁମ୍ବକରେ ଉପସ୍ଥାପିତ କରିବା ମୋ ପାଇଁ ସହଜ ହେଇନଥିଲା | ତଥାପି ବନ୍ଧୁଂକୁ ଯାହା କହିଲି ତାକୁ ନିମ୍ନରେ ଉଲ୍ଲେଖ କରୁଚି ----
ଅନେକେ ନିଜ ପରିବେଶର ଉନ୍ନତି ଓ ଦୈନନ୍ଦିନ ଜୀବନର ସୁବିଧା ଅସୁବିଧା ସମ୍ପର୍କରେ ଉଲ୍ଲେଖ କରନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଆଶା କରନ୍ତି ସମ୍ପୃକ୍ତ କର୍ତ୍ତୃପକ୍ଷ ଶୀଘ୍ର ସମସ୍ୟା ମାନଂକର ପ୍ରତିକାର କରିବେ | ଶାସନ ମୁଖ୍ୟ ମଧ୍ୟ ସୋସାଲ ମିଡିଆ ରେ ଆଲୋଚିତ ପ୍ରସଂଗ ମାନଂକୁ ଗୁରୁତ୍ବ ଦେବାପାଇଁ ନିର୍ଦେଶ ଦେଇଥାନ୍ତି | ଏଭଳି ଆଭିମୁଖ୍ୟ ଅନେକ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଂକୁ ବିଭିନ୍ନ ସମସ୍ୟା ଉତ୍ଥାପନ ପାଇଁ ଆଗ୍ରହୀ କରିଥାଏ | କିନ୍ତୁ ସମସ୍ୟା ସମାଧାନ ସମ୍ପର୍କରେ କ୍ବଚିତ ତତ୍ପରତା ପରିଲକ୍ଷିତ ହୋଇଥାଏ.; ବରଂ ସୁପ୍ରିମୋ ମାନେ ନିଜେ ସୋସାଲ ମିଡିଆରେ ତତ୍ପର ହୋଇ ଅନର୍ଗଳ ସନ୍ଦେଶ ଦେବାରେ ଲାଗି ପଡନ୍ତି | ଏକ ବାତାବରଣ ସୃଷ୍ଟି ହୁଏ ଯେପରି ସୋସାଲ ମିଡିଆ ସମସ୍ତଂକ କହିବାପାଇଁ ଏକ ମାଧ୍ୟମ ; ଏହା ଶୁଣିବା ପାଇଁ ବା ଶୁଣି ପ୍ରତିକାର ପାଇଁ ନୁହେଁ |
ଜଣେ ନିଜ ଘରପାଖ ନାଳକୁ ଆବର୍ଜନାମୁକ୍ତ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ସୋସାଲ ମିଡିଆ ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ବାରମ୍ବାର ଅନୁରୋଧ କରି ହତାଶ ହେଲାପରେ ସେ ବିଶ୍ବ ସମସ୍ୟା ; ପୁନ୍ଜିବାଦ ; ରୁଢିବାଦ ; ଗେରୁଆ ବାଦ , ସେକୁଲାର ବାଦ ଇତ୍ୟାଦି ସମ୍ପର୍କରେ ଅବିଶ୍ରାନ୍ତ ଲେଖି ଚାଲେ | ସେ ବୁଝିପାରେନି ଯେ ଯଦି ତା କଥା ଡାକେବାଟରେ ଥିବା ପୌରସଂସ୍ଥା ଶୁଣୁନି ତେବେ ତା କଥା ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରପତି ଟ୍ରମ୍ପ କେମିତି ଶୁଣିବେ | ଟ୍ରମ୍ପ ନଶୁଣିଲେ ବି ଅନେକେ ଅଂଟାଭିଡି ସେହି ପ୍ରସଂଗରେ ଯୁଦ୍ଧ ଡାକରା ଦେଇ ପୁଳେ ଲେଖି ପକାନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ବାକ୍ୟ ଯୁଦ୍ଧ ଚାଲୁ ହେଇଯାଏ |
ଆଉ କେତେ ଅନ୍ୟମାନଂକୁ ନିଜ ଅଭିଜ୍ଞତା, ଉପଲବ୍ଧି ସମ୍ପର୍କରେ କହିବାକୁ ପସନ୍ଦ କରନ୍ତି |ଅନେକେ ଏହା ପସନ୍ଦ କରନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ପ୍ରେରଣା ପାଆନ୍ନ୍ତି; କିନ୍ତୁ ଅନେକେ ବି ଏହାକୁ ଆତ୍ମ ପ୍ରଶଂସା ଭାବି ନାପସନ୍ଦ କରନ୍ତି ; ସେମାନେ ଉପଲବ୍ଧି ,ଜ୍ଞାନ ବା ଅନୁଭୁତିର ପ୍ରସାର ଚାହାନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ , ଚାହାନ୍ତି ଅଜ୍ଞତାର ଆଧିପତ୍ୟ |
ଆଉ କେତେକ ତାଂକ ପୋଷାକ, ହସ, ଜନ୍ମଦିନ, ବିବାହ ବାର୍ଷିକୀ ଇତ୍ୟାଦି ପ୍ରକାଶ କରି ନିଜେ ଆନନ୍ଦିତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ତାଂକ ଅନ୍ତରଂଗଂକୁ ଆନନ୍ଦ ଦିଅନ୍ତି |
ସୋସାଲ ମିଡିଆ ଅନେକ ଘଟଣା ଏବଂ ସମସ୍ୟା ଉପସ୍ଥାପିତ କରିଥାଏ ଯାହା ଆମ ସମ୍ବାଦପତ୍ର ବା ଚବିଶ ଘଣ୍ଟିଆ ଟିଭି ଚାନେଲ ପ୍ରକାଶ କରିବାରେ ରୁଚି ରଖନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ | ଅନେକ ସମ୍ବେଦନଶୀଳ ; ସ୍ପର୍ଶକାତର ଘଟଣା ହୁଏତ ନ୍ୟସ୍ତସ୍ବାର୍ଥ ଶକ୍ତିଂକ କରାମତି ଯୋଗୁଁ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ପାଖରେ ପହଂଚି ନଥାନ୍ତା | ହୁଏତ ଏହି ଶକ୍ତି ସୋସାଲ ମିଡିଆ ର ବିଶେଷତ୍ବ ଏବଂ ଆବଶ୍ୟକତା ପ୍ରତିପାଦିତ କରିଥାଏ |
ସୋସାଲ ମିଡିଆରେ ଆମ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଗତ ଓ ସାମୁହିକ ଚରିତ୍ର ପ୍ରତିଫଳିତ ହୁଏ | ସାମୁହିକ ବା ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଗତ କ୍ଲେଶ ଉପଶମ ପାଇଁ ଆମ ସରକାର ଏହି ମାଧ୍ୟମକୁ ଆଗ୍ରହରେ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିଥିବା ମନେହୁଏନାହିଁ ; ନା ନାଗରିକର କୌଣସି ଉପାଦେୟ ପ୍ରସ୍ତାବ ସରକାର ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବାର ମାନସିକତା ପ୍ରଦର୍ଶନ କରୁଥିବା ହୃଦବୋଧ ହୋଇଥାଏ |

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3rd December, 2017

Thursday 22 November 2018

AN OFFICIAL NEEDS TO BE ACCESSIBLE



 Greater a man is, the more is he accessible. I hold this view. I have learnt it from experience.  Years ago, in early seventies, while I was serving as Additional District Magistrate at Rourkela, both I and my wife paid a visit to the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata. I recollect the warmth of reception we received from none else than the legendary Mother Teresa who spent almost two hours of her valuable time showing and explaining to us various activities in the campus and talking to us with great interest as if she knew us for years. There was no barrier of officialdom; no showing off; no inner chamber which was out of bounds for ordinary mortals like me. “Atithi Devo Bhava”, the great Indian tradition which treats the guest as God, was the pervading atmosphere where the noble Mother was the presiding officer. Another experience comes to my mind. About a month before I was to retire from the IAS, I requested the Secretary to the President if I could have the privilege of a courtesy call on the President. He was nice to remember and about a fortnight later, I was informed that a meeting with Rastrapatiji had been fixed.  I called on the President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, in his office and had exclusive time for an hour with the great Indian. The simplicity and the versatility of the person and his eagerness to listen to you, left an indelible mark in the memory.
A leader has a natural urge to reach out to the people. If he is genuine, he not only makes himself available to hear the people and talk to them; he does his best to meet their aspirations. He redresses their grievance too. I remember a case when a group of people called on the then Chief Minister, Biju Patnaik, and conveyed their anxiety over the proposed location of an establishment of a para-military organisation just at the enhance of their village ( not far from Bhubaneswar) which would cause a lot of inconvenience to the villagers, and, particularly, the ladies. Chief Minister immediately asked the concerned officer to visit the spot and furnish a factual report. The report was made available to him and the Chief Minister was convinced of the genuineness of the grievance. Decision to shift the location of the establishment was taken. But what happens if a Chief Minister, for years, prefers not to meet any one in his grievance cell? One finds government functionaries are getting  inspiration from the Chief Minister and becoming increasingly inaccessible or-- to be fair-- selectively accessible. There is a widely held perception that a person getting elected or selected into an office, soon chooses his priorities. These are mostly pursuits meant to benefit him in the short and long run. He looks for the advantages which the office is capable of offering. With such an attitude, the person opts for inaccessibility. I would view this malady as a major contributor to governance deficit.

I would request government officials to be accessible; pleasant and helpful. Such a disposition, not their arrogance or inaccessibility, only enhances their efficiency and usefulness.

Saturday 17 November 2018

AVOIDABLE LIFESTYLE



Avoidable lifestyle like sleeping too late and waking up late; overeating; skipping breakfast ; liberal recourse to medicines including sleep     inducing pills, even without advice of doctors; indulgence in fast-food; love for deep fried snacks and indulgence in intoxicants including tobacco, has been making thousands of young men and women susceptible to ailments which would have severe impact on the length and quality of the working life of these well educated youth. They know intake of fresh vegetables would be desirable; yet they would go in for food in restaurants where very often they would settle for spicy and oily dishes. The other day the revelation of an old friend of mine was shocking. He has provided accommodation  to a family in his house that looks after him. The family has three members including a child. Therefore food is made in the house for four persons including a child. They consume at least eight litres of cooking oil per month. My advice to him was to curtail the consumption drastically. “We, five consumers including our support staff, consume 1500 ml of oil per month” I told him. I had to make efforts to make him believe that I was honest.

Many in the society are silent persons by temperament. They prefer to work and read; they would avoid a crowd or commotion. While this trait need not be decried, I would feel that people should not be averse to engaging themselves in lively and healthy discussions. Intellectual conversation promotes efficiency of the brain. Positive thinking is a sure way of keeping our brain in shape.

We do not limit our crusade against our natural endowment only to these aberrations I have narrated above. We have gone beyond. How many of us, including the brilliant ones of the emerging generation,  derive pleasure in writing by hand? Calligraphy used to get reflected many a time in letters written to friends and near and dear ones. Letter writing is declining. I had great pleasure seeing my grandson writing by hand when he was younger and was completing his home work. Now I have started seeing his feelings through e-mails. I only hope he does not abandon writing by hand when he grows up. Regular writing by hand— not limited to putting our signature or writing a cheque --  keeps our reflexes strong and the fingers agile. Handwriting is a reflection of the state of the brain.

Sadly we seem to be under the impression that the human body is strong enough to withstand relentless abuse. We are wrong. Let us not drift too radically too fast. The youths may keep this in mind and ensure that they too enjoy the scene of the rising sun every morning. Bahagvad Gita speaks about SAMATWAM YOGA UCHYATEY. A nice example of the precept is the Anantasayam posture of Lord Vishnu. Appreciation of this precept would make our young generation aware of the virtue in being in peace with self. It will make them see virtue in moderation. They may be convinced that it may not be wise to tinker too much with the law of nature.

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17th November,  2012

Saturday 10 November 2018

THE KINDLY WORLD

       Most readers admire Paulo Cohelo’s famous line in The Alchemist “When you really want something to happen, the whole world conspires to help you achieve it.” I am narrating my experience about nine years ago, much before I read The Alchemist.
       My wife and I went to Shimla sometime in 2002 when Delhi was warm enough and we spent three nights there, in the State Guest House. On the first day, we had dinner and talked for a while when my wife suddenly said “I had seen clouds hitting the hills and rain pouring in the Hills years ago; how I wish I saw clouds, thunder, lightning and rain in the Hills again .” The next morning we visited places in and around Shimla. Chief Secretary, Himachal Pradesh, Harsh Gupta, a good friend, had made avaialble a good car and a still better Driver. While the car was negitiating a climb and the weather was pleasant, my wife asked the Driver “Do you get rains in Shimla in this part of the year?”  . He slowed down the car, craned his neck out of the window, looked up and smilingly said “No madam, we do not get rains these days; but you should come during the rainy days and see the play of clouds and the hills and the bubbling rain water flowing down the hills”. 
       We had a busy day, our second day in Shimla. That night around eleven, we woke up at the sound of thunder and flashes of lightning. It rained heavily, for about a couple of hours. Perhaps nature conspired to fulfil her wish. She was ecstatic; I found no explanation how it could have happened. We talked for a while, watching the rain outside. 
She unfolded yet another wish. She longed to see a pahari wedding and wondered if this could take place while we were still at Shimla. She was born in Garhwal but lived mostly in Delhi. During her infrequent visits to the Hills in childhood, she might have seen a few weddings. 
      
We woke up early, to the sound of digging of the ground nearby. I looked at the garden outside the room. In the front portion of the State Guest House I saw around fifteen people and a lot of activities. Curious, I went out to unfold the mystery. The daughter of a Member of the Himachal Public Service Commission would marry a boy from Gujarat that day and arrangements were being made for the wedding in the State Guest House. 
     
I could not believe that her second wish would also be answered. I rushed to the room to tell her about an impossible wish of hers materialising. We decided to be detached onlookers to the Pahari wedding. Our curiosity caught the attention of the bride’s father who was equally happy that my wife’s wish was getting fulfilled in his daughter’s wedding. We could not refuge his warm invitation to stay on for lunch. The sight of ladies carrying brass pitchers and coming to the marriage pandal was a memorable sight. 
    We left Shimla happy. I cannot be a cold blooded rationalist to treat both the experiences as mere coincidence. I would rather acknowlege the pervading presence of a benevolent Higher Force that guides us, protects us and makes us live happily.

********** 
10th November, 2012

Tuesday 6 November 2018

A POIGNANT WALK IN THE MEMORY LANE

A visit to Sambalpur on December 2, 2007 was a poignant walk in the memory lane. I had spent a few years of my adolescence in the town. When I joined the Zila School in Class VII, the school was in a temporary, unkempt barrack-like structure in a small portion of the sprawling campus of the Gangadhar Meher College. A new building for the Zila School was under construction in Pension pada, just below the hillock atop which is located the Circuit House. 
It was indeed a great day for me, and I believe, for all the students and teachers, when the school shifted to the new imposing and bright building. It became an important landmark of the town and was in harmony with the great tradition of the school. I was in Class VIII. Our Class Teacher, the respected Sarat Sir, asked his students to suggest a leader whose photograph would be displayed in the new classroom. I remember to have spontaneously suggested the name of Chandra Sekhar Behera and this suggestion was accepted. A few days thereafter, a nice photo of the great leader adorned the Classroom. I felt elated. Daily walk to the new school building from the Commissioner’s colony, where we used live, was a walk with pride with my head held high.

Paltan Kuaan is a grand, historic well and was an old landmark of the town. The well was dug years ago, probably by a military unit. We had lived for sometime in a house in pension pada, in close proximity to this great well. It was an experience in adventure for small children of the locality like me to run to the well and crane our slender necks over the big circular wall of the well and peep into its great depths of mystery. Water inside was in the deep bottom of the well and the stony walls of the well would show cruel, sharp teeth protruding all over. When someone would put a bucket into the well to draw water, the bucket would commence a perilous journey into the depth of darkness with frequent contacts with the protruding rocks, thereby emitting tinkling sound, loud enough to be audible from a distance. The bucket in its return journey would also have its cruel tryst again with the teeth of the stones and always a good quantity of water would spill into the well. The tinkling noise from the well at dawn would always serve as a wake up call for a child like me and I would get up to start my day.

Hirakud reservoir was in its final phase of development and I remember the drive in a motorised boat with my father in the reservoir to go to a few villages. In the reservoir I would sometime notice a few big trees, partially submerged and also see the majestic pinnacle of a nearly submerged temple. I would be momentarily overcome by a feeling of remorse when my father would say that a prosperous village had been submerged in the reservoir. Our people had made great sacrifice by quitting their homes, land and emotions, to build a grand temple of modern India, my father would explain.

Years later, I remember to have had a discussion with the Chief Minister Biju Patnaik about agrarian prosperity. “I have travelled throughout the state”, I said, “ but I smell prosperity only when I cover the stretch between Hirakud railway station and Bargarh”. This has been possible through the enterprise of our farmers and the Hirakud Dam. Sambalpur farmers taught the farmers of our state the benefit of rabi paddy. Today the state is planning to procure as much as twentyfive lakh tons of rice for the central pool. When the prosperity of our farmers is so closely linked to irrigation, it is unfortunate and cruel that a government would even think of utilising the water of the reservoir for industry. The majestic reservoir seems to be under seize by the merchants of plunder, aided and abetted by short sighted and petty minded people.

My journey to Sambalpur was my modest gesture of support to those valiant farmers who would like the majesty of the reservoir to prevail and to free it from seize and plunder. While the huge turnout of the farmers confirmed the resolute posture of our farmers, I would address my concern to the present deterioration of the Zila School building, its surrounding ambience and to the state of utter neglect of the Paltan Kuaan. The building has lost its shine with cracks all over; the campus looks desolate and thoroughly inhospitable. There are shops all over so that the school building is barely visible from outside. The well looks abandoned. One can understand that people would prefer to use water taps but that does not mean the well would not be preserved well and looked after by a grateful and sensitive citizenry.

It is sad  the well  no longer makes its wakeup call. It is sad the majestic building of the renowned Zila School is in real bad shape. Both seem to be afflicted by the same malady that has affected Hirakud reservoir. Inhumane approach towards our public assets and institutions and growing inability to articulate saner feelings are creating havoc at many places. I would only hope the valiant people of Sambalpur would preserve the glory of Hirakud Dam and would not forget the venerable Zila
School and the majestic Paltan Kuaan.

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6th December, 2012

Saturday 3 November 2018

REMEMBERING A FRIEND

Sribatsa Nanda was a classmate of mine in Ravenshaw College while we were studing Science in the Intermediate stage(1958-60). His command over Mathematics was awesome. He was never the type of students who would slog for hours over books. He was basically jovial by nature; liked to joke with friends and would wear a look of being nonserious in studies. Results would show otherwise. He would excel in all subjects. Occasionally I would see him in the Common Room of the East Hotel-- where we stayed--- alone, reading a newspaper or, in company, enjoying a cricket commentary in the radio. He was one of the few who loved to wear a Dhoti and was quite comfortable and proud of what he wore. He could have joined any discipline of knowledge and even could have made to other vocations. Like me he could have joined the civil service as well. But he had his vision set. And , he took to teaching as his profession and was a respected teacher in the Regional Engineering College at Rourkela. On superannuation, he joined a private College and continued to teach. Teaching was his passion.

We met accidentally one day in the morning on the road, near our house. We were meeting after years. We talked for a while and he remembered my father. His fondness and admiration for him moved me a bit and I told him about an incident relating to my father. On retirement from civil service, my father kept himself busy on many activities, mostly in the areas of social and economic mobilisation of the deprived segments of the society. He also spent some time in developing a good school in the area we lived. He  used to teach a few blind students of the BJB College residing in the Hostel nearby. I never knew about it while he was alive. After his demise, a close associate of his had told us of his pastime of teching the physically challenged students. 

One evening. this teaching schedule had got upset as my father overstayed in another programme. He suddenly remembered his promise to  teach the blind students for sometime that evening. It was examination time. He hurried to reach them while regretting the delay. His friend and he finally reached the Hostel. It was late but he kept the promise. By then the students had switched off the light and were on the beds in the protection of mosquito nets. My father entered the room with his usual endearingly loud voice asking them to get up. The children immediately came out of the beds; switched on the light. Father taught them for over an hour and left them only after getting an assurance that they would have no problem answering questions in the examination the next day.

 Sribatsa was listening to me with rapt attention like a child. I saw tears welling up and rolling down. I saw  a sensitive Teacher in him weeping. We spent some more time and then I returned home and he went to the place where he was staying.

That was the last that I saw him. One day I heard about his sudden passing away. It was my turn to shed tears.


******
3rd November, 2012 

Friday 2 November 2018

NEED FOR HIGH-SPEED SHORT DISTANCE TRAINS IN BUSY SEGMENTS IN ODISHA


 We have seen that in the case of a Shatabdi Express, a drastic reduction in fare led to more traffic and more revenue between Mysore and Bangalore. Bangalore—Mysore route distance is 138 km and Shatabdi Express takes 2 hours to cover the distance.

There is need for similar pragmatic approach for ensuring people friendly arrangement, with a little more out-of-box thinking. Keeping that objective in view I am placing below the details of some rail routes where a more imaginative scheduling of fast trains could benefit thousands of people on high use sectors within Odisha. The distance and the fastest train now operating in these important segments are as below ---

Bhubaneswar—Berhampur---Distance –165 km. Train No 12845 takes 2 hours 3 minutes

Berhampur—Vishakhapatnam – Distance- 277 km. Train No 06057 -- takes 4 hours 30 minutes

Sambalpur—Bolangir – Distance – 118 km—Train No 12146 takes 1 hour 30 minutes

Rourkela – Sambalpur – Distance – 150 km—Train 28375 takes 2 Hours 33 minutes

Bhubaneswar—Sambalpur – Distance –273 km—takes 4 Hours 15 minutes by Train No 01662

Bolangir – Rayagada—Distance – 203 kms—Takes 4 hours 25 minutes by Train 08301

Rayagada—Berhampur—Distance – 342 kms—takes 5 Hours 30 minutes by Train 12843

Rayagada -Raipur – Distance – 342 kms—Takes 6 Hours 30 minutes by Train 12844

Bhubaneswar—Howrah – Distance – 437 kms—Takes 6Hrs 15 minutes by Train 22864

Rourkela—Howrah – Distance --- 406 kms—Takes 5 hours 4 minutes by Train 12768

Rourkela—Ranchi—Distance – 165 kms – Takes 2 Hours 42 minutes by Train 12836

Rourkela—Raipur – Distance – 416 kms – Takes 6 hours 5 minutes by Train 20822

The fastest trains mentioned above are however mostly long distance trains and most of these operate at a time of the day and night not convenient for inter-city travellers.

What I want to point out is the necessity of introducing inter-city (not necessarily Shatabdi ones, but equally speedy express trains, having both AC and non-AC Chairs only, with food) trains at convenient time of the day and night.

People of Odisha would then be having a very people-friendly Railway to talk about.
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9th August, 2018

Thursday 1 November 2018

ଇଜ୍ ଅଫ୍ ଡୁଇଂଗ୍ ବିଜିନେସ୍

ଜଣାଶୁଣା ଯୁବକଟିଏ | ପରିବାରର ବଡପୁଅ ; ସେମାନେ ଦୁଇ ଭାଇ ; ତାର ତିନି ଭଉଣୀ | ବାପ ମା କାର୍ଯ୍ୟଦକ୍ଷ ; ଦାୟିତ୍ବବୋଧ ଜ୍ଞାନ ସମ୍ପନ୍ନ | ପରିବାରଟି ଆମ ଓଡିଶାର ସୁଦୂର କୁଡୁମୁଲୂଗୁମା ଗାଁ ର ବାସିନ୍ଦା ନୁହଁ ; ଭୁବନେଶ୍ବର ପାଖ ଏକ  ତହସିଲ ର | ଯୁବକଟି ଶିକ୍ଷିତ | ଗତ ବର୍ଷ ତା ମଝିଆଁ ଭଉଣୀ ବାହାଘର ପାଇଁ ସାରା ପରିବାର ଆବଶ୍ୟକ ଅର୍ଥ ଯୋଗାଡ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଯେମିତି ହଇରାଣ ହରକତ ହେଇଥିଲେ ଆମେ ଦେଖି ଚିନ୍ତିତ ହେଇଥିଲୁ | କିଛି ପରିମାଣରେ ହାତବି ବଢେଇଥିଲୁ | ସାନଭାଇ ଚାକିରୀ ଟିଏ  ପାଇଁ ସାକ୍ଷାତକାର ରେ ଅସଫଳ ହେବାପରେ ମୁହଁ ଶୁଖେଇ ବୁଲୁଥିବା ଦେଖି ମୋ ପତ୍ନୀ ତାକୁ ବ୍ୟବସାୟ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ପ୍ରବର୍ତ୍ତାଇଲେ ଓ କିଛି ସାହାଯ୍ୟ ମଧ୍ୟ କଲେ | ମୋ କଥା ମାନି ଯୁବକଟି ଗାଁରେ ଇଟା ତିଆରି କଲା | ସେଇ ପଇସାକୁ ମୁଳଧନ କରି ବ୍ୟବସାୟ ଆଗକୁ ନବାକୁ ଉପଦେଶ ଦେଲି | ପକ୍କା ଘର ପରିବାର ର ନଥିଲା : ବ୍ୟାଙ୍କ ରୁ  ରୂଣ ଦେବା ପାଇଁ ପରାମର୍ଶ ଦେଲି ; ବ୍ୟାଙ୍କ ଅଧିକାରୀଙ୍କୁ କହିଲି  ; ସେ ରାଜି ହେଲେ | କାଳ କ୍ଷେପଣ ନକରି  ଜମି କାଗଜ ଦେଖିଲେ | ଜମି କିନ୍ତୁ ନା ଆବେଦନକାରୀ ନାଁରେ ଥିଲା ନା  ତା ବାପ ନାଁ ରେ | ସେହି ଅଂଚଳ ରେ ଜମି ବିକ୍ରୀର ରେଜିଷ୍ଟ୍ରେସନ ଓ ମ୍ୟୁଟେସନ କେଉଁକାଳରୁ ବନ୍ଦ ହେଇଚି ଅତୀତରେ ଜମିଜମା କାରବାରରେ ବ୍ୟାପକ ଚଂଚକତା ଯୋଗୁଁ | ବ୍ୟାଙ୍କ  ବାବୁ ଋଣ  ଦେଇ ପାରିଲେନି | ମୋ ସାହାଯ୍ୟରେ ଗୋଟିଏ ମାଇକ୍ରୋ ଫାଇନାନସ୍ ସଂସ୍ଥା ଋଣ  ଦେଲେ ; ଅଗତ୍ୟା ଯୁବକଟି ଅଧିକ ସୁଧଦେଇ ଋଣ ନେବାପାଇଁ ବାଧ୍ୟ ହେଲା ; ଘର କଲା ; ବର୍ତମାନ ଋଣ  ପରିଶୋଧ କରୁଚି | କେବଳ ତାକୁ ଋଣ  ମିଳୁନି ; ସେଇ ଅଂଚଳ ଯାକ ସେଇ ଅବସ୍ଥା | ବ୍ୟବସାୟ ପାଇଁ ଋଣ  ନାହିଁ ; ଘର ତିଆରି ପାଇଁ ଋଣ  ନାହିଁ | କାରଣ ଆମ ଜମି ଜମା ପ୍ରସଂଗ ବୁଝୁଥିବା ତହସିଲ ପ୍ରଶାସନରେ ଆଜି ଅନେକ ସମସ୍ୟା ସମାଧାନ ଅପେକ୍ଷାରେ | ପୁରୁଣା ଭୁବନେଶ୍ବର ସହର ଓ ପୁରୀ ସହର ଏବଂ ପାଖ ଆଖ ଗାଁରେ ଅବସ୍ଥା ମଧ୍ୟ ତଦୃପ | ଶହଶହ ଭଦ୍ର, ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠିତ, ପୁରାତନ ପରିବାରଂକ ବାସଗୃହ ଜମି ଆଜି ଅଯଥା ବିବାଦରେ ଛନ୍ଦି ହେଇ ପଡିଛି କେବଳ ସରକାରଂକ ଅପାରଗତା  ଯୋଗୁଁ | ଅବ୍ୟାହତ ସମସ୍ୟା  ପରିପ୍ରେକ୍ଷୀରେ  ଏକ ନ୍ୟାୟ ସମ୍ମତ ଆଇନ ପ୍ରଣୟନ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଆମ ପ୍ରଶାସନ ର ଉପଯୁକ୍ତ  ମାନସିକତା ଏବଂ  ଦକ୍ଷତା ଆବଶ୍ୟକ | ଅଧିକାଂଶ ପରିବାର କୋଟ କଚିରୀ ରୁ ରହତାଦେଶ ଆଣି ବସବାସ କରୁଛନ୍ତି | ଅନେକଂକ ପିଲାମାନେ ବିଦେଶରେ ବାସ କରୁଛନ୍ତି  | ସେମାନେ ଏଇ ମାମଲା ମାନଙ୍କର  ପେଂଚ ବୁଝି ପାରିବେନି ଓ ସବୁ ସମ୍ପତ୍ତି ଦଲାଲଂକ ହାତକୁ ଚାଲିଯିବା ସମ୍ଭାବନା ରହୁଛି  | ଆମ ସରକାର ଗାଂଧାରୀଂକ ଭଳି ଅନ୍ଧ ପୁଟୁଳି ଲଗେଇ ମେକ୍ ଇନ୍ ଓଡିଶା ଯାତ୍ରା ଆୟୋଜନ କଲେ ଆମ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ସମସ୍ୟାର ସମାଧାନ ହେବନାହିଁ  | ଗାଲୁଆଂକ ବାରବାଟୀ ଚାଷ ନୀତି ଅବଲମ୍ବନ କଲେ ଆମ ରାଜ୍ୟବାସୀ ଉତ୍ପୀଡ଼ନର ଶିକାର ହେଉଥିବେ  | ଓଡ଼ିଆ ପୁଅ ଝିଅ ନିଜ ଭିଟାମାଟି ର କବଲା ବା ପଟ୍ଟା  ପାଇ ପାରୁନି ; ଋଣ  ପାଇ ପାରୁନି |  ଆମ  ସରକାର ଏହା ହୃଦୟଙ୍ଗମ କରିବା ଆଵଶ୍ୟକ | ଆମ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଯୁବକ ଯୁବତୀ   ବେପାର କରିବେ କେମିତି ; ଘର ତୋଳିବେ କେମିତି : ଆଗକୁ ବଢିବେ କେମିତି ? " ଇଜ୍ ଅଫ୍ ଡୁଇଂଗ୍ ବିଜିନେସ୍ " ତାଲିକା ରେ ଆମ ରାଜ୍ୟ ତଳ କୁ ଚାଲିଗଲା ବୋଲି ତୁମ୍ବି ତୋଫାନ ନକରି ;  କୁମ୍ଭୀର ଅଶ୍ରୁ ପ୍ରବାହ ନକରି ଆମେ ଘରକୁ ସଜାଡିବା ଯୋଗ୍ୟତା ଆହରଣ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଉପଯୁକ୍ତ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତି କରିବା ଆବଶ୍ୟକ |

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1st November, 2016