Holding the global agriculture and food summit in Ranchi shows that Jharkhand is finally on the right path and has started focussing on tapping the inexhaustible natural resources of the state. Jharkhand stores 40 per cent of mineral reserves of India, but iron ore, coal and bauxite are exhaustible! With the state embarking upon the right track, one expects soon global summit for other untapped yet inexhaustible natural resources of Jharkhand like tourism, herbal medicines, films and education! Government incentives in these fields can do the magic!
Till now the focus in Jharkhand was on the steel and iron ore. Despite poor law and order iron ore and coal attracted attention of all because of their indispensable need for industries and also because of the huge profit margin they entailed. Exploitation and distribution of booty among others to Naxals followed. Lesser said the better about who others benefited. Due to various reasons these natural resources were used like cash crops, but for sustainable development, priority has to shift to unexplored sectors, which thankfully is finally taking shape in the state.
Jharkhand has been endowed in abundance with divine bestowings--- its pristine beauty and climate. But, if climate and natural beauty were boons, law and order situation especially because of Naxals was a bane earlier. Now majority of Naxals have either returned to the mainstream or have been eliminated. With extremism majorly under control with just four districts partly affected and law and order not remaining a concern or deterrent anymore, this is the right time to tap the so far untapped fields where the state can do wonders!
Agriculture is the beginning! If God has been kind to us by blessing us with panoramic beauty, lively hills, lovely waterfalls and lush jungles, we must give a great credit to the English missionaries also who turned this distant and remote part of Bengal and Bihar into a seat of education. Name a mission and you will find its school in Jharkhand. From the prestigious Loreto Convent to Sacred Heart to St Xavier's to St Anna and Ursuline Convent. Much water was expected to flow down the Subarnrekha after creation of Jharkhand in the field of education. But, we failed to even create replicas of Netarhat or Sainik School Tilaiya or the Indira Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya of Hazaribagh till now. Better late than never ! Education can be yet another sector to be boosted especially in the backdrop of the fact that even now lakhs of students keep on flocking to Delhi, Pune and other metros for higher studies. Jharkhand has many good schools, but it wants more and as far as colleges are concerned, it lacks majorly! It is for the government to mull how to attract investments to turn Jharkhand into a education hub!
The natural beauty of the state makes if perfect for film shooting. With one of the best film policy and incentives, Jharkhand is already attracting lot many renowned Bollywood producers. Now the need is to attract globally while focusing on Bollywood bigwigs. Instead of giving 20 to 50 lacs to many, good incentive to a few big names will give the needed fillip to turn the state into a favourite destination for Hindi cinema producers and directors. And then the film City at the beautiful Patratu is already in the making which will be an icing on the cake!
Tourism is yet another sector that is waiting in Jharkhand to be tapped properly! The state has been charming visitors especially from the neighbouring West Bengal so much so that the legendary Satyajit Ray shot many films here while many permanently settled in the state or constructed their houses here to use as a summer resorts. Adding facilities at the tourist spots with private participation will be the key to success! Besides these, herbal medicine is another sector that can change the economy of the state and its people. It is said that Jharkhand can match China in producing herbal medicines. You name a herb and it is found in the state. Now with Naxals almost wiped out from all but four districts the time is opportune to grow the other fruitful sectors one of which has already hogged government limelight and gained momentum as well!