PRESS RELEASE
Date: 25th April 2008
Venue: Bari International Hotel, Bhubaneswar
The participants in the summit agreed that participatory democracy can only decide the right approach to the development of Orissa.
The summit deliberated on various themes like financial inclusion, governance, issues of migration and displacement etc. It was participated by representatives of political parties, trade unions, journalist, social activists, academicians, intellectuals etc.
Raising 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 Finance Minister, 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 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, is holding a two days summit in association with Agami Orissa, another e group of the state on "Shaping the development debate of Orissa" at Hotel Bari International, Bubaneswar on 25th and 26th April 2008.
This summit, probably first of its kind Country, where e groups initiate the process of brining development debates, which were being done in the web groups , were brought to the people in a coherent manner.
Focus Orissa Summit 2008
Shaping the development debate of Orissa
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.
ReplyDelete