Odisha as a State will complete 100 years of its existence in 2036. It is time to review our progress and set roadmaps for coming days and realise the dreams of many of the makers of modern Odisha. The challenges are many but a question that always props up in mind is, can Odisha find a place among top ten developed States of India in 2036?Take five important indicators to know the current position of State of Odisha among 33 States and Union Territories in India.
The indicators are: Average life expectancy and IMR-MMR, education, per capita income, urbanisation, and industrialization. What is the rank of Odisha among States in India so far as these five indicators are concerned?
It is unfortunate that we continue to be in the bottom of the rank in almost all development indicators. Odisha continues to remain as a distress migrant worker State with a huge number of people below poverty line and one of the most backward States in terms of low quality healthcare and education, low per capita income, minimum wage, pitiable quality of life and without minimum basic amenities for the poor. It also continues to depend on agricultural economy without much improvement in manufacturing and industrial sector in spite of many natural advantages.Both healthcare and education are State subjects and very vital to development of quality human resources of a State. Poor heath and poor quality of education has many ramifications over the economy growth and socio-political progress.
The sample registration system report 2018 shows the infant mortality rate in case of Odisha was 40 which is higher than national average 32. It is highest 48 in MP but in case of Kerala, it was 7 and lowest 4 in Nagaland.
It is found that backward States having more number of people below poverty line also have poor health and educational infrastructure as poverty has a close link between health and education. In case of Odisha the health and education status of a big chunk of population comprising mostly STs, SCs and OBCs is more precarious than other social groups. The quality of living and availability of basic amenities are widely unequal in India. States such as Kerala, TN and AP are comparatively better than Odisha which ranked near the bottom of the list found in the India Today survey 2016.
The data by sample registration system on life expectancy 2014-18 shows that life expectancy at birth in Odisha is also below national average. It was 75 in Kerala and Delhi, 69.4 in India and 69.3 in Odisha. In spite of availability of financial resources, Odisha has not achieved success in ensuring basic human needs such as housing, drinking water, toilet and electricity for a healthy living.
The universal health and education delivery system discriminate against the poor and marginalized sections. The budgetary allocation to these important sectors has been continuously negligible without any target and time frame. The availability of DMF fund has solved the drinking water problem of people in mining areas.
Similarly, in case of education ,the NITI Aayog report on school education quality index among 20 large States has ranked Kerala with a score of 76.63 as the best State, followed by Rajasthan , Karnataka, AP, Gujarat, Assam, Maharashtra, TN,HP, Utarakand and Haryana.
Odisha is placed below these top ten States with score of 48.36. The State of UP is the lowest with 36.42 score. Education in Odisha is quantitative, not qualitative. The system is more tilted towards privatization and there is little attempt to improve its quality.
The data by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation shows that the per capita income of Goa was highest among the Indian States and Union Territories with Rs 5,20,030 GSDP per capita . The other States in the list include Sikkim ,Delhi , Chandigarh, Haryana, Karnataka ,Pondicherry, Kerala ,Telangana and Gujarat. Odisha ranks in 22 out of 33 with Rs 1, 19,075 where Bihar is the lowest with Rs 50,735.
Coming to urbanisation, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs data shows that none of the city in Odisha is among the metropolitan cities having million plus population though it has increased from 35 to 53 as per 2011 census.
Among the States, Goa (62.2 percent) is the most urbanised and among others, Kerala, Sikkim, Mizoram, TN ,Maharashtra are moving fast towards urbanization.
It is told by the Ministry that urban population of Himanchal Pradesh , Bihar, Assam and Odisha with 16.7 percent continues to be the lowest. Similar is the case of industrialisation. In spite of many advantages such as a vast sea coast and mineral resources, Odisha continues to remain backward in industrialisation.
The top ten most industrialised States include Goa, TN, Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP, AP, Telangana, Kerala, Rajasthan and Haryana. It is estimated that nearly 60 percent of the total factories are in five most industrialized States, like TN, Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP, and AP. On the contrary, Odisha is a major supplier of migrant workers to these States.
We have been told that Odisha is a storehouse mineral wealth; even many strategic minerals such as aluminum , chromite ,iron ore and coal are available aplenty but why these resources not being utilized for industrialization is a big question. The whole range of areas from Talasara of Baleswar district to Bahuda Muhana of Ganjam district, there are about 15 locations which can be developed into small ports and corridors of export and import linking to two major developed ports of neighboring States.
But the long pending costal highway is still being delayed due to lack of political will of ruling elites as well as the the Central Government.
Odisha has been consistently neglected by the Centre and the Central leadership have been apathetic to the development of Odisha whereas Odisha continues to contribute all its natural resources for national development.
It has been told that the Khurda –Bolangiri railway line which was planned by the then British Government is long delayed and yet to see the light of the day even after 75 years of independence.
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