What is governance about ?
The following extracts from my narration on my interaction with Shri Biju Patnaik indicate how I had put forth my perception of governance. ------
On February 23, 1994, the Chief Minister was travelling by the state plane to Rourkela on official work. I had accompanied him. The plane was overflying Bonai region of the state. “ I had really started my official career at Bonai in my first posting as the sub divisional officer (SDO)” I told the Chief Minister. “ This is an area which is so rich in natural endowments and yet is economically so backward”, I continued. He was listening with interest. Encouraged by his eagerness to listen, I thought of telling him what I thought should be an appropriate approach in governance in such areas. “ In our society, for those people who do not have strong power of discrimination, the state should act as a protector; people having power of discrimination should be free to shape their lives according to their volition and the state should act only as a facilitator. While formulating policy, government should keep this objective in view”, I said. “As a young officer I had made many surprise visits to many shops, both, licensed and unlicensed, selling country liquor in Bonai sub-division at different times of day and night. Each visit had made me sad, for I had noticed every liquor shop to be a virtual granary. A simple tribal would run short of money while consuming more liquor than what he could afford and would, in a state drunkenness, pawn his crops to the liquor merchant. Most of the agricultural produce of a village would find its way to the liquor shop. In my view the state must protect the vulnerable section of the population. In the tribal areas government should abolish liquor shops. Government would thereby suffer some financial loss; but as Finance Secretary I assure you that I would be able to absorb the loss. You alone can take a bold step in this regard” I told him with some emotion but with conviction. He listened but was quiet.The state Assembly session was on and the Chief Minister was scheduled to participate in some important discussion the next day. I had volunteered to speak to him on a few important issues pertaining to rural economy. He advised me to meet him the next morning in his chamber in the State Assembly. xxxxxxxxxxx
The next day I met him at 10-30 in the morning in his office in the Assembly. The discussion lasted about ninety minutes. I was talking. He had decided to listen.” We need more chilling plants; more dairy units; we should have an annual target of ten lakh artificial inseminations so as to make a worthwhile impact on the quality of milch cattle; we must intensify our programme on drip irrigation and develop horticulture; we have to encourage farmers to have their own lift irrigation projects,” I said and spoke to him on a few other matters as well. After ninety minutes, he indicated to me that he must go to the House. I took his leave and was coming out of his room when he called me. “You told me everything under the sun and I listened; but you did not speak a word about liquor”, he told me with a smile. I smiled at his sense of humour. “Did I not tell you about it yesterday?” I reminded him. “Yes, you did,” he said, “ and I have decided”. He walked into the House and made an announcement about government’s decision to abolish liquor-shop in tribal areas. I felt elated. He had always admired brave and objective views.
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