Focus Orissa Summit 2008 calls for participatory democracy
Bhubaneswar (Orissa) : The two-day summit of Focus Orissa here on Saturday expressed serious concern on the deteriorating quality of life of the majuscule section of society and called for true participatory democracy, which can only ensure equitable development and the much needed level playing field to the millions of the depressed people.
The summit deliberated on various themes like financial inclusion, governance, issues of migration and displacement etc and the representatives of political parties, trade unions, journalist, social activists, academicians, intellectuals etc took part in the discussion.
Expressing concerns over the current mode of exclusive development that caters to only the elite section of the society and excluding the marginalized section, the participants brought to the fore the impact of neo liberal policies that was adopted by the government about two decades before.
The decreasing trend of budgetary allocation toward social sector like health, education worried the participants. It was argued that where on one hand the government drastically reduced subsidy in these needy sectors, how the same government is providing subsidized minerals to the corporate?
They reiterate the need of formulating a "Resource Management Policy"
The former Minister of State for Finance, Panchanan Kanongo, stressed the need of prioritizing the need to increasing the food production than pursuing aggressive industrial policy.
With the agriculture being unsustainable and non availability of adequate unskilled labour in the villages, people in the rural areas have no option but to migrate to other states and face inhuman conditions there.
In an effort to put up a platform for debate and discussion on the various issues concerning development of Orissa, Focus Orissa, a e-group which was started before about three years, held two-day long summit in association with Agami Orissa, another e group of the state on "Shaping the development debate of Orissa" here, activist Pradeep Baisakha said.
http://www.odishatoday.com/Focus_Orissa_Summit_2008_1010332.html
When we will have a real Gigantic Odisha summit like Vibrant Gujurat summit.Its really necessary now we will have to progress in same manner as Gujurat and need to have same development,administration in order sustain the growth rate and rest of world should identify this region of India as a better place for development.
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