CAG Research Foundation debates Odisha’s backwardness, calls for cohesive development roadmap
By A.K. Sahoo
Bhubaneswar, Aug. 30: The CAG Research Foundation on August 30 organised a one-day symposium in Bhubaneswar to deliberate on Odisha’s persistent backwardness and explore strategies to accelerate its journey towards inclusive growth and development.
The discourse brought together former ministers, senior political leaders, intellectuals, academics, and civil society representatives who shared their perspectives on the paradox of Odisha’s abundant resources versus its continuing struggles with poverty, unemployment, and infrastructure gaps.
Speakers unanimously underlined Odisha’s untapped strengths—its rich mineral wealth, vast agricultural potential, flourishing tourism opportunities, and quality human resources—lamenting that successive governments have failed to capitalise on these advantages to drive transformative growth.
Former Union Minister Srikant Jena, PCC president Bhakta Charan Das, veteran leaders Prafulla Chandra Ghadai, Radhakant Sethi, Jayadev Jena, Ranendra Pratap Swain, Narayan Reddy, and intellectual voices including Sudarshan Das, Jyoti Ranjan Mohapatra, Yudhishtir Mahapatra, Janardan Pati, and journalist Rabi Das engaged in a frank dialogue. They dissected the root causes of Odisha’s lag—ranging from weak policy execution and lack of visionary leadership to inadequate infrastructure and poor industrialisation.
While there were differing opinions on specific priorities, a consensus emerged: Odisha needs a bold, cohesive approach from its political leadership to harness its latent potential. “The state’s future hinges on decisive action. Unless policymakers rise above partisan divides, Odisha will continue to remain at the margins despite its immense promise,” observed one of the speakers.
The programme was presided over by Chidananda Jena, secretary of CAG Research Foundation, with Akshay Kumar Malik, founder member, also addressing the gathering. A thought-provoking presentation titled “Odisha: Rich in Resources, Poor in Outcomes – Who is Responsible? What Needs to be Done?” was delivered by CAG founder Ravi Rajan, setting the stage for the deliberations.
Adding a youth perspective, the event also featured the prize distribution of a state-level essay competition on the theme “Is Odisha Lagging Behind in Social Justice?”* The contest saw enthusiastic participation from 160 students across 20 districts, with young women outnumbering their male counterparts—a reflection of the growing voice of female students in socio-political debates.
The day-long programme concluded with a call for an integrated development roadmap that blends resource management, policy reforms, and human development initiatives. Participants expressed hope that Odisha, with political will and collective effort, can overcome its historical challenges and chart a course towards prosperity.
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