It was August 1995. Rabi Narayan Das was Chief Secretary of Odisha and I was Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary. Janaki Ballabh Patnaik was Chief Minister.
The then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao was scheduled to visit Koraput on 26.08.95. Formulation of a long-term action plan for a holistic and integrated development of the KBK region was in the air for quite some time (since former PM Rajiv Gandhi visited Kalahandi exactly seven years before, i.e., August 1988). Successive Central teams had been visiting the State; and a tentative drought-mitigation and development saturation plan prepared and sent to the Union Government was undergoing change after the visits of the Central teams and discussions which had taken place with the State Government from time to time.
There was an element of vagueness and uncertainty about the plan formulated so far. At this crucial phase, CS Das requested me to go to Koraput a week in advance of the PM's visit, collect, compile and analyse relevant development-related data concerning the KBK districts (after taking into account all the observations of the three Central teams), prepare a fresh long-term development action plan and make a power-point presentation before the PM to solicit approval to the plan. Judging by any account, this was a formidable and stupendous exercise.
I did comply with the request of CS, proceeded to Koraput for a week, collected, compiled and analysed all relevant data with the understanding and cooperation of the Collectors of all the eight KBK districts, prepared the long-term action plan and text of the power-point presentation and made the presentation with the technical support provided by the then Koraput ADM Manoj Ahuja. The presentation was well-received both by the PM and the CM (who had accompanied him) and the PM gave his approval to the plan costing Rs 6,000 + crore in principle. The rest is history. More than two decades have passed since then.
The LTAP for the KBK region prepared by me is being implemented with a much-reduced outlay. It is unnecessary for me to enter into the claims and counter-claims made by respective stakeholders about the relevance and appropriateness of the plan (which by all counts was absolutely desirable).
But I would like to emphasise only one point -- the concern with which CS Das had visualised the importance of undertaking the LTAP exercise and acting with utmost urgency to make it a reality. The proverbial drought migration and poverty of the KBK region have not ended; rather, they continue even now as grim realities. But the initiative taken by the CS was timely, most appropriate and people of the region will remember him with gratitude for the seriousness of his concern towards this mindboggling problem.
Alike, as Secretary, Home or Secretary, Industries or Secretary, Finance or Secretary, Commerce and Transport (where he had a lot to contribute towards development of modern Paradip Port), CS Das had always shown the same urgency and seriousness of concern in taking positive decisions with the speed of lightning and implementing the decisions with the same speed as also with total transparency.
He believed, and rightly so, that no purpose would be served by dithering, vacillation and procrastination and that all the right decisions must be taken in the right time in the right manner in conformity with the procedures established by law without any axe to grind.
Besides, it was his firm conviction that if just and fair claims are not conceded in time, belatedly the same would be considered as graceless gifts whose impact would be minimal.
As the Secretary and Head of the Department, he demonstrated adorable qualities of head and heart. He was always positive and responsive to the genuine needs of his subordinates and the hopes and aspirations of the 'Aam Aadmi' (the common man).
He patiently listened to the grievances of the aggrieved and was quick to comprehend and act in providing timely relief. While he always maintained a gracious disposition and would go out of the way to help the genuinely needy and distressed, he could never put up with sloppiness or mediocrity. He was an exemplar communicator in writing as well as in speaking -- clear, precise and level-headed.
He was equally exemplary in terms of management of time and scarce resources, human, material and financial, which is of utmost importance for a poor State like Odisha.
He was in the best of health and spirits when I had last met him and his wife on 17.07.2017 at the time of my delivering Sudhanshu Bhusan Mishra Memorial Lecture in Bhubaneswar. His sad demise is a terrible and irreparable loss to the State and its people. May his soul rest in peace!
(Dr Mishra is a former Union Labour Secretary, C, 69, Anupam Apartments, B-13, Vasundhara Enclave, Delhi-96)