Create craze for material growth in Orissa

Subject: Deputy Adviser, Plan Coordination Division compares Orissa with Punjab (Developing A Development Model For Orissa) Date: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 11:18:57 +0530

Dear Sachi , I have never visited Orissa. I am from Punjab. I have more than 10 friends from Orissa. You have raised very valid points for which submit as follows:

The development of a State or region does not depend on the natural resouces it is having. It is more related to people of that region, their collective efforts, their bent of mind and et al. Regarding Orissa, I have not met anybody till day who has the ambition to very rich, having a lot of money. People in Orissa are simple, satisfied and they know how to live with problems. They should learn how to finish the problems. People who are educated, are either professional or business. Otherwise people of Orissa are nice and reliable. But these things does not make you rich.

If you make comparison with Punjabis, who are culturally far behind Orissa. We have little resouces. People of this State have gone abroad and earned their fortune. In Punjab the single important criterian to judge the wisdom of a person is nothing but his material possession. That is why in Punjab, the saints have a lot of money. I think if you could create craze for material growth in Orissa, your battle is half won.

The huge investment is not going to make dent. You can not send a man of crutches to compete in Olympics 100 metre race. Investments may create more employment for so called upper caste literate people and State will loose all it natural resources and have more pollution. The data in Govt will improve. But basically, there won't be any change. As for example, there is Gurgaon in Haryana. It is a beautiful city of Haryana where very few people of Haryana State lives. People of Haryana can have satisfaction that they have Gurgaon. As you have natural resources for name sake but the real advantage is reapen by other people.

Let me have some data, I am an economist by profession and a capitalist by family background. I shall be happy to work on some model of development. These views are my own and it is nothing to do with Government. With regards, BHARAT BHUSHAN IES Deputy Adviser Plan Coordination Division Government of India Ministry Environment and Forests 708,Paryavaran Bhawan, CGO Complex, New Delhi - 110003. Tel: 91-11-24365218 Mobile: +93132 99008