A true son of the soil !

Dear Friends,

The following comment by Oriya Tokia deserves a main post. Hence I am posting it. My sincere congrats to the gentleman who wants to strive to improve our lot! Read on............

Oriya Toka said...

Dear Sandha,

Orissa does not seem to produce great leaders any more. The only one we could see was Biju patnaik the real Kalinga Sandha. Can we see you coming out as another Kalinga Sandha (not on the paper...sorry web)??

Jokes apart, I think we Oriyas should ignore everything else like which political party, what background, what age, what experience etc. and just concentrate to elect a "Leader" who is aggressive, loud, learned, clever and fast.

Then and only then can we prevent the Ambanis and Mittals taking us for a ride. Check out J.C.Mohanty the IAS officer who took voluntary retirement from his position at Hyderabad to serve the people of Orissa and help us recover our self esteem. See this -

Land beckons: IAS officer quits job in Andhra to take up social cause in Orissa.

While the Principal Secretary, Remote Area Development J C Mohanty has tendered his resignation after 27 years of service in Andhra Pradesh to go back to his home state Orissa and work for poverty eradication.JC Mohanty, who has already chalked out a future plan to work as a facilitator in Orissa, said that he would do something for "Mo Odisha" campaign.

In an interview to the Pioneer Mohanty said that the campaign aimed at inspiring the ordinary people of Orissa that even they can do a lot for the development of the State."I recall the time, when India Today carried a state ranking and Orissa came on last but one position.

In every indicator Orissa was placed among the lowest levels. I have done my service in Andhra Pradesh for 27 years and now I should go back to my state and do something for the poor there", he said."The main purpose of my campaign is to improve the living standards of the poor and to increase their income.

Everybody should think about his state and do whatever is possible. It is not the question of spending Rs five lakh or 10 lakh. You clean your street teach a kid and give emotional support to a depressed person, do something for the society. If everybody starts thinking like that there will be a big difference," he added.

Mohanty's future plans includes coordinating with the agriculture universities that are expert in horticulture, fisheries and animal husbandry and bring them together with the people to work on a poverty alleviation and income generation programme.

Analysing the reasons for the poverty and backwardness of Orissa, Mohanty said that unlike Andhra Pradesh, the ordinary people of Orissa were not enterprising."Compared to other States, nothing has changed in Oriss in the last 55 years. Orissa has not progressed much. According to the Orissa development report 2004, South Indian States have 87% poverty and Northern Orissa only has 50% poverty", he said.

Mohanty said that there could be many reasons for the State lagging behind. Stressing that he was satisfied with the Government service, Mohanty said that he found the work atmosphere quiet favorable in Andhra Pradesh.

When asked why the IAS officers from Orissa were so successful in Andhra Pradesh and not in their own state, Mohanty said that there could be many factors behind it."Here the work environment is very good. Even if politicians try to interfere or influence, they will not touch you if you are doing a good work. Here the conditions are very favorable for working and taking initiative. Perhaps it is lacking there in Orissa. I do not know because I have not worked there", he said.

Mohanty had an excellent track record of service in Andhra Pradesh and successfully held many key positions including the head of the State finance corporation, head of Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Board and more recently, Principal Secretary, IT. "Now I would like to utilize this experience to bring about a change in Orissa and contribute to its development", he said.