Minister of Food and Civil Supplies Saryu Roy claimed that despite greater investment and Government expenditure being undertaken in recent times Jharkhand achieved best figures at early years of its coming into existence.
Speaking on the release of tentative vision document prepared for Sustainable Development Goal by LEADS the Minister also termed the ongoing efforts of development as volatile.
“Though resources were scarce at that time Jharkhand grew the most during 2000 and 2006. Its growth rate remained better than the national average. Presently, the Government is spending more but development is somewhere volatile. We have to catch the threads of 2000-2006 once again,” said the Minister on Tuesday.
He also express helplessness and said that may be prejudice or stubbornness present behind the volatility. “Perhaps we are unable to leave our prejudices or stubbornness at the Government level so that things are like this. We talk about quality but see what is happening in the field of primary and secondary education where para teachers are doing everything but teaching,” said Roy.
The Minister on the occasion went on talking about strengthening institutions and said that targets set for the Sustainable Development Goal at global and local levels would not be achieved until it is done. “Governments come and go but institutions are here to stay.
We should always try to build and strengthen those if such goals are to be achieved. I believe only if the panchayati raj institutions are made operational properly SDGs would be met,” said Saryu Roy.
The LEADS in its vision document has pointed out 17 SDGs for the State which include eradication of hunger, inequality, gender prejudices, malnutrition, lack of quality education and several others to be dealt by 2030. Roy also indicated about improper utilisation of district mineral fund (DMF). “
We have made provisions for DMF but many districts are unable to use it for the betterment of the people. This is an example how only resources cannot do the things,” he added.
Also present there was Ashok Bhagat who is also a member of the State Development Council in place at the level of the State Government. He underlined the importance of society in dealing with under-development. “We have to come out of the mindset that the Government can do everything. It is baffling to see that hunger deaths are taking place in villages and the people are watching.
Pressure groups should remain active,” he said.
Kanke MLA Jeetu Charan Ram, Economist Harishwar Dayal, Citizen Foundation’s Ganesh Reddy and several others were present on the occasion.