Odisha being a land of diverse ethnic groups, the issues of different social groups need to be integrated into the State plan for an inclusive development.

The economic policy of the State in practice has contributed in widening the rich –poor gap across social groups as well as regional disparity within the State. As a vast majority of women, socially and educationally backward classes, STs, SCs, agricultural labourers, sharecroppers and many others remain in bottom line of development in spite of many efforts, lopsided growth is evident.

Child labour, witch hunting, bonded labour, distress migration, trafficking, illiteracy, malnutrition, untouchability and many forms of social discrimination and extreme poverty and hunger are still prevalent in the State in spite of rule of a regional party for five consecutive times.

These issues are the consequence of the economic policy of the successive Governments for the last 70 years. Odisha was formed as a linguistic province consisting of six districts such as Sambalpur, Koraput, Ganjam, Puri, Cuttack and Baleswar in 1936 and later in 1950 the others were merged. Broadly the whole State can be divided into three parts as areas under direct British rule, feudatory States and tribal areas. So for historical and geographical reason the regional socio-political and socio-economic issues are different and there was absence of comprehensive administrative and legal mechanism to plan for the whole State till 1950.

The community development block concept was introduced in the early sixties but there were serious limitations in the formation of blocks as development units without considering the purpose of such formations.

The long pending regional/local aspirations of the people in different parts of the State remain unaddressed. Justice SK Mohanty Commission ’s report on regional imbalance submitted to the Government in 2008 identified south-west districts such as Malkangiri, Nuapada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Kondhamal and northern districts like Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh and Keonjhar as most underdeveloped. The region is home to a majority of the poor of the State but it is contributing more to the State treasury in terms of SGDP. It has been observed that there is serious disparity in development of different regions and social groups in the State who lag behind in every aspect of human development index.

The south-west and northern part of Odisha remain backward in many aspects of human and social development as well as in terms of educational, health, infrastructure and communication. The most serious concern is lack of basic amenities like drinking water, toilet, electricity and connectivity.

The lopsided development has serious impact over the economic growth of the State and encourages separatist tendencies, violence and extremism out of a sense of alienation and underdevelopment in comparison to others. It is affecting production, social peace, law and order and above all quality of life.The charity, subsidy and welfare programme such as Re 1 per kg rice and old age pension remain dominant discourse in political mobilisation of the poor people of the State. Corporate investment in mining and industry is being projected as State economic development and the role of State investment in core areas of economic development remain minimal.

The development model of the Centre, schemes and programmes are being replicated by the State without any local innovation considering the local context and relevance, and a regional economic development prospective.

The costal districts remain always prone to natural calamities and every year people routinely suffer losses and damages. It is the responsibility of the State to intervene in emergency through humanitarian relief and other services. This has been a regular State expenditure without a lasting solution to such tragedies. There is no long term sustainable growth plan by State except relief to the affected people hit by flood, drought, cyclone and disaster. The biggest work done by the Government is the rescue operation and humanitarian aid. For the last seventy years, there has been nothing beyond relief.  Coastal Highway and industrialisation in the 480 km long coast still remain a distance dream.

 As removal of regional disparity in development is one of the important agendas of the State which has been reflected in implementation of programmes like Biju KBK Plan, Biju Kandhamal O Gajapati plan, Gopabandhu Gramina Yojana, Western Odisha Development Council, Backward Regions Grant Fund but these programmes have not yet created any substantial impact in removing regional disparity.

They remain shadowed by low budget and lethargic bureaucracy and above all lack of participation of the marginalised section. As a consequence, the backward regions of Odisha cannot provide employment which encourages distress migration and subsistence living.

The people do not have basic minimum amenities while quality of life is the same as before without much change. There are areas which still remain inaccessible and are branded as backward. Even there are districts without railway line and with zero industry and irrigation facility. The long pending demands for Khurda –Balangir railway line and High Court bench in western part of Odisha have not been fulfilled yet.

The budgetary allocation should be based on income of the district or a particular region. The regions contributing to State treasury in terms of natural resources, minerals, forest produce, and marine product should get preferential treatment. It is unfortunate that the people in coal, hydropower and thermal power plant area are not getting adequate electricity for their basic consumption.

It is found that the areas coming up with industrialisation and urbanisations are being captured by the dominant educated social groups by displacing the poor, illiterate  and marginalised social groups to the periphery and depriving them of job, business and other economic opportunities created in the area.

Budgetary provision should strictly follow sub plan models to address very specific concerns of different social groups and regions such as Scheduled Caste Sub Plan, Tribal Sub Plan, etc.

The State must invest to change the basic economic structure through its radical economic policy in favour of backward region through land reform, quality education, irrigation, electricity, rural industrializstion, forest based NTFP, agriculture and tourism.

 (manasbbsr15@gmail.com)