Our government is a hard-working one. Critics, incorrigible as they are, would maintain that it is a treadmill sarkar. It runs fast, sweats a bucket, burns calories but goes nowhere. It is populist to the core and it lacks a vision. But let’s ignore them. True to their character, they would pick a fight with anything and everything. We know for sure that the government at least tries hard to be seen as being serious about work. In 2020, we would like it to do better.
Make Odisha Great Again
Donald Trump may have made a hash of his tall talk to make the US great again but in Odisha we can give it a genuine try. We know the state has had a glorious past. The present does not look as glorious though. To begin with, why not try to set up a few more industries? It is not an unfair expectation given we are blessed with so much minerals. Added to it, industrial units in non-mineral sectors, including agro processing, should also get the desired push. These should be aimed at creating jobs and generating revenue. Let 2020 be the year of great beginnings.
Delivery at doorstep
5T as a governance framework is a good initiative. If not for anything but to drill a sense of responsibility into the babudom. It helps when the top boss insists on accountability. However, why not give delivery of government services at home a try? It is not possible to deliver all services at home but in case of a few it would certainly work. In Delhi, it has been a partial success. It can be experimented with, with flaws in the capital state being taken into account.
Let’s stop being a cheap labour market
Why must Odisha be one of the biggest labour markets in the country? You heard it right. Migrants from Odisha, seasonal and non- seasonal, constitute a massive labour force. Spread out across every nook of the country, they are found at brick kilns, small-town hotels, construction sites and establishments of all kind. A proud state can’t throw up its arms as fait accompli. Opening of desks for migrant labourers in other states is fine. We had two in Kerala and Gujarat recently. But why should there be so many migrants from the state in the first place? In 2020, the government must resolve to do something about it.
Year of Consolidation
The state government has rolled out schemes dime a dozen in the last two years. Thousand of crores have been promised for welfare as well as infrastructure building. If implemented with sincerity these schemes and projects can make an impactful difference. But improper and callous implementation can ruin the prospects and result in scams. Let the New Year be the year of consolidation to complete unfinished tasks and ensure effective implementation of different schemes.
Let education bloom
Arvind Kejriwal may not have been a media darling what with all his antics, but he stands head and shoulders high above others when it comes to education. When students from government schools outshine private counterparts in education, you accept it is a great achievement. Not many governments earmark more than a quarter of their annual budget to education and involve parents directly with school affairs. Few bother about the quality of education in government schools. Why not have similar focus in Odisha? If there is a will, they say, there is a way.
Let 2020 be the year Odisha made a dash before the big leap into a great future.
