Has Orissa CM Naveen Patnaik really delivered?

By A.K. Sahoo
Bhubaneswar, Mar 5: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday completed 10 years in office. Many still wonder, – ‘How this man – who never had any idea about politics, managed to rule the state for a decade?” Is it because of his much claimed good governance and fight against corruption he manages to continue in power or the people of the state do not have an effective alternative as yet?
Naveen came to power at time the people of Orissa needed a break, - break from conventional oligarchic family politics and restoration of the rule of law. He came to power when the hungry belly wanted a morsel of food and a common man longed for a earning a livelihood at his locality.
But, has he really delivered? Has his Orissa’s transformation from a revenue deficit to a revenue surplus state percolated down to the grassroots?
His home district Ganjam explains it all. It records the highest number of migration. A visit to the nearest railway stations will tell you the conditions of migrant labourers.
Pessimism, many say, is bad. Yes, certainly it is. But highlighting lapses and inability to deliver could not be bracketed as pessimism. Why the farmer is still languishing? Why is that are youths, mostly of rural background with language school education, do not get job in his home state and has to travel to Surat, Ahemedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Andhra Pradesh to work as plumbers, daily wage earners in textile mills and brick kilns?
Migration is still a major concern in KBK region. Malnourishment, hunger, starvation, malaria and diarrhoea continue to be major killers. With some rich people earning windfalls and adding to a steep increase in per capita income is not inclusive growth. The CM, if he really understands the pulse of the people he rules and causes of actual problems preventing the state’s growth, must act earnestly, - keeping politics aside.
In more than half of the state, the Maoists are calling the shots. In coastal Orissa the notorious crime syndicates do not allow the people to live freely.
Corruption pervades everywhere starting from gram panchayat office secretariat level. Political masters can disown it to display their political stunt, but can never switch it off echoing deep inside their heart and conscience.