ODISHA TOURISM- Opportunities & Ideas

Dear Mr. Ashok Tripathy,

At the outset, my congratulation to you personally and your department for unleashing the new paradigm of “Cultural Tourism” and executing impeccably; say at world standards (in my opinion). I have observed the last festival “Samakala Dance Festival” organized by your department all three days; I must complement the aesthetic venue design, the environment created in the auditorium and the selection of dance troupes-of very high standards and very pleasing to senses & sensibilities that I would say with potential to Ignite Creative Minds.

I have also recently seen your advertisement of “Konark Festival” in India Today & The Week which would serve to draw domestic tourists and I hope identical efforts must have been taken to entice foreign tourist. (Last time I had suggested to rope in Odia software engineers working abroad, to work as “Odisha Tourism Ambassadors” informally and voluntarily. Please examine the idea)

 I only wish as Goa attracts 120 charted flights in busy tourist season, so do Odisha.

Suggestions: [Konark Festival]

With above objective in mind; I would suggest to have following concurrent festivals along with Konark festival to give more value for money to tourists visiting Odisha.

1. Bhubaneswar Literary Festival: We can organize Bhubaneswar Literary Festival/Konark Literary Festival in the model of “Jaipur Literary Festival” pioneered by Sunjoy Ghosh.
2. International Modern Art Camp at Konark Temple: I propose to organize a World Class Modern Art camp  dedicated to Konark Temple and its architecture-Konark Series(I guess never done before)

I feel these two activities could draw substantial high-end foreign tourist to our State; however, more other options could be explored to achieve the objective in Toto.

Mr. Tripathy, hope above “Idas” would be of your interest and feel, you would examine them for advantage Odisha Tourism.

Thanking You.

Kind Regards,

Bikash Choudhury

9853426657

WOMEN NEED UNITY

 Bikash Choudhury

Two beautiful women could never be good friends (Indira Gandhi & Princess Gayatri Devi, one example), Mother-in-Law & Daughter-in-Laws would have a cold war in maximum no of house holds, Daughters and Daughter-in-Laws would have a running feud in most families irrespective of class and cast. This is one of the principal reasons why modern day “Draupadi” is being disrobed in full public view; sorry, in camera view and in social media across the World. I was referring to the recent molestation of a teen  age girl on the high road of Gauwahati in Assam. There is no response and no reaction from Govt. towards a temporary or a permanent solution on growing atrocities on Women; in spite of UPA Chairperson, Leader of Opposition and Speaker of lower house being very powerful women. There are also very young and articulate women parliamentarians like Ms.Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Supriya Sule, Priya Dutt, Kanimozhi and Dimple Yadav who have chosen to keep mum on the issue of threat to women safety and security. They could have taken up the issue as aggressively as they could in the monsoon session of parliament. They must have demanded for all women police force, all women fast track court for trial of cases pertaining to atrocities on fare sex. A divided house can not do any thing for the wellbeing of women; therefore, it is felt women need unity in their own ranks to prevent cases of “draupadis” from the front pages of news papers.

INTERESTING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Congress party having finally cornered Mamata, quietly announced the name of

Sri Pranab Mukherjee as UPA’s nominee for Presidential election much against the wishes of TMC supreme who has already swallowed her words of pulling out of UPA on patrol price rise; it remains now to be seen if she does the U turn on Pranab- being a Bengali Bhadralok; while knowing Kalam may not enter the fray at this juncture; will she swing towards Purno Sangma would depend much on Samajwadi Party. NDA and Samajwadi Party are waiting to cut a reciprocal deal with Congress/UPA; in all likely hood Congress would prefer to cut a deal with Samajwadi Party eyeing an alliance for next Loksabha election 2014 or earlier. In such a scenario NDA may also be inclined for a presidential contest by backing Purno Sangma; if nothing else at least to please prospective allies in the east and south. It’s advantage Sangma for the moment.

NON CONGRESS & NON BJP PM

BIKASH CHOUDHURY

Advaniji’s blog created a minor furor on a cloudy Sunday morning. The issue was about Non Congress & Non BJP Prime Minister in 2014; as there is no absolute truth in politics one can’t disagree with his contention having a high degree of probability of occurrence. He is not an ordinary soothsayer after spending five decades of his life in hurly burly politics of India as an activist, campaigner and parliamentarian with incisive intellect and deep understanding about patterns & trends in politics. One thing though he left unsaid—India would need a  PM who can rise above left-right & centrist fault line in Indian polity to take bold decision to solve very basic problems in his own wisdom; he should have the Intellectual depth of Nehru, Aggression of Sardar Patel, Shrewdness of Chandrasekhar & Indira Gandhi, Oratory of Atalji and Charisma of Rajiv.

COMMUNICATION WITH SHASHI THAROOR

  Esteemed Mr. Shashi Tharoor,

Read your article in Tehelka 17 Dec.2011 on Presidential form of Govt. While I highly appreciate your strong arguments on the subject; wish to put across my opinion on the subject for your kind reference and contemplation at leisure.

1. Why go for an expensive surgery while we can manage with a few dosages of strong medicine?

2. The problems with the current model as you have rightly pointed out:

       a. Parliamentary paralysis- a few MP holding entire parliament to ransom

       b. Quality of lawmakers

       c. Politics at the cost of Policies

       d. Divisive Politics against Decisive Governance

       e. Too many political parties/lack of single party parliamentary majority

       f. Emergence of strong regional parties’ vis-à-vis Declining National Party

      g. Competitive Politics-little space for collaboration

3. In my opinion all the above problems can be easily dealt with within the current model if and when realization dawn on the two major political formation—how little have we achieved even after 64 years of Independence in terms of Human Development/ Economic progress. While China made 10 times of GDP in 28 yrs. (1978-2006) and other Asian countries progressed much faster. Our politicians are apparently, innocent about the butter in their bread; and, not very sure if they wish to be ruler of a rich & prosperous country or a poor & deprived Nation?

4. The current spate of divisive politics is due to INC desire to regain single party majority and BJP trial & tribulation to regain power at any cost and stakes are so high for both the parties that no body wishes to miss one punch any where to gain in the game of public perception; eventually, which ever party wins India is going to loose.

5. SOLUTION:

• Equal respect for each political party in parliament
• More inter and intra party debate on all issues
• Opposition view point given weightage beyond their numbers
• A permanent mechanism of engagement with opposition
• Private member’s bill for enactment of law
• Filibuster mechanism
• Stronger house rules against frivolous stalling of parliament

Though Presidential model looks alluring; as India currently needs a benevolent dictator and could find one in a directly elected President; but, difficult to predict how the system of division of roles between Executive & Legislative would work in a highly heterogeneous country like INDIA?

Thanking you a lot.

Warm regards,

BIKASH CHOUDHURY

BHUBANESAR

ODISHA 

COMMUNICATION WITH FORMER DIPLOMAT

6 August 2012

Dear Mr.G. Pathasarthy,

I am a regular reader of your column and viewer of your exposition on news channels. I wish to share a thought pertaining to Pakistan knowing fully well that you would rather prefer a cautious approach in relation to Pakistan due to very many practical reasons.

1. With available information and some amount of intuition; I strongly feel that the ice on the other side getting little warm and the changing economics and geopolitics would compel Pakistani people get closer to Indians; but, very slowly.
2. I for one deeply believe in the concept of “Sampurna Bharat & Samparna Bharat” and “One Nation with three countries”. Apart from socio-economic-politically empowered Indians; I also mean an India of pre 1947 geography. (this may or may not be an utopian Idea) At least we can target a socially, culturally and economically networked undivided India; though, politically we could remain three neighboring countries with common currency, defense forces and one foreign policy.
3. My argument is India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are complementary economies and if we are able to release the synergies then each economy would grow much faster; I guess this realization has struck in Pakistan to an extent.(refer K.K Ghori’s article in TNIE) Apart from the savings that would accrue against defense expenditure owing to a less volatile South Asia.
4. This would require a time line of 10 years of purposeful negotiation with aggressive calendar of cultural exchanges program, people to people contact at various levels (students, teachers, professionals, journalists and businessmen etc.,) Idea is to reach out to as many sections of Pakistani people as possible to create a favorable public opinion for India & Pakistan friendship/unity.
5. If this actually happens as planned; then, we may get a bonus in terms of recasting our relationship with China at pre 1952 level with an autonomous Tibet and sovereignty over Aksai China.
6. To make this happen we will need to make Chinese/Pakistani boys and girls dance to the tune of Oddisi, Bharat Natyam ect.,.And, we need to learn to invest in diplomacy like USA.

For a long time I wished to share this thought with you and seek your considered reaction/response.

Thanking You.

Kind Regards,

Bikash Choudhury

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Mobile: 009853426657/009238912647 Address:flat # 105 Kalpataru Nivas(apartment) Patia Bhubaneswar Odisha INDIA-751024

HOW TO DELIVER GOVERNANCE?

BIKASH CHOUDHURY

There is a public discourse about relative efficiency and effectiveness of private sector organization in comparison to the Government organization in the country. There is also a popular belief that if there were significant improvement in the functioning of Govt. then that would have a multiplier effect on the effectiveness and competitiveness of the private sector and thus helping the economy grow faster; eventually, improving the lives of people living in the bottom of pyramid. Governments have a robust recruitment policy that select top talent from among the best as it attracts highly qualified and meritorious job seekers due to the job security that if offers along with good compensation, retirement benefits and on top of it higher social status. In spite of all that public services remains much to be desired. Poor Training and Development protocol and a non-existent organizational culture could be the reasons why people after joining Govt. loose enthusiasm and motivation and that reflect in their work. In contrast ‘training & development’ remains the main driver and principal contributor towards the performance of private sector.

I have once visited Regional Transport Office at Bhubaneswar for a driving license where on an average sixty persons jostle with each other for a photo up for a mere learning license while in the other side two young girls were dealing with license seekers with great difficulty. Apparently, the girls were not trained properly to handle the task at hand for which I had to make six rounds of RTO office to obtain the license. In an identical case in the private sector the same task could have been handled much better with least cost as private sector operator would have mapped the process and developed a training protocol for each process for its employees with a defined standard operating   to respond to the license seekers minimizing the burn out of people in the receiving end as the whole process could have been completed in two or three visits.

 In a comparative study of Training and Development policy of Infosys (one of the largest services organization in computer software Industry with over one lakh employees) and Govt. of Odisha (one of the largest public services organization in the State with over 3.5 lakh employees) It is observed that Odisha Govt. does not have a comprehensive Training & Development Policy for all its employees neither it has organizational arrangement for such a task. Further, Odisha Govt. does not have an induction program for junior personnel, continuing education for middle level and leadership program for senior functionaries. Program design is neither goal oriented nor need based; which may be having a telling effect on its public service performance.

OBAMA COULD CHANGE THE WORLD

Bikash Choudhury

Barak Obama was conferred Noble Peace Prize at the beginning of his term as President of USA; Noble Peace prize committee then could have recognized the ability of Obama to give a new direction to the World on Peace & Development. The opportunity now knocks at the door of Barak Obama; the choice is his to make. The opportunity is about seeking a fresh mandate from American people on “peace and development” which could save and create jobs in America; as dead men won’t create jobs but living ones do. The World is sick and tired of war and violence and certainly don’t deserve more of it; not even at the borders of Nuclear delinquent Iran. There are certainly other methods to bring belligerent to the operating table of negotiation. The principal objective is to convince American people to give up arms and let the Govt. to cut down defense expenditure to prop up global economy for good. Obama has stayed the course with great difficulty and challenges on healthcare reforms at home and eventually able to convince those Americans who matters the most in line with his deep conviction. It is time, once again; for Obama to leap out of his skin and bet on peace & development while he speaks at Charlotte Democratic Convention in September. He should not only speak about how to cut American and global defense expenditure; but, also on how to bury the conflict in civilization. Obama could commit to bring a new law that would make it mandatory for each employee in federal govt. and in states to have a certification on Religious & Racial understanding specifically developed for the purpose; the same would apply for private jobs also. USA could persuade United Nations to adopt such a policy for itself and all member Nations; thus creating huge new job opportunity for American corporations in terrestrial space while bringing down the conflicts on the ground of religion and spirituality across the World, a notch lower at the least.   

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Expand Indian Economic Service

Bikash Choudhury

Manmohan Singh would go down on the contemporary political history book as the coolest & media shy Prime Minister; and, only one not having to win an election. But, if he wishes to be remembered by his fraternity, that is student, teachers and professional economist; then, he could expand the present ‘Indian Economic Service’ to serve a very important National purpose by deploying them in District Rural Development Agency and in our foreign missions.

DRDA as an institution created long a go has not solved its purpose of developing our rural areas. With growing population each district on an average now have 25 lakh people and consequently 5 lakh house holds with ever depleting resources per capita. To change the face of our rural areas we need to “micro manage the macro economy of a district” to get better return on investment in comparison to present out put, apart from growing the National economy much faster; as the sum of parts would be greater than the whole. For this we may need competent economic managers as the head of DRDA; therefore, Indian Economic Service can be expanded to staff all 500 plus districts and over 100 of foreign mission where country would need specialized services of trained economist in a globalized world to maximize the wealth of Nation.

NEW AFGHAN STRATEGY OF AMERICA

Bikash Choudhury

Afghanistan would once again go down in the history as “the grave yard of super power” if USA does not modify its approach afresh. Over ten years of engagement and last four years of surge has produced very little on the ground. Karazai Govt. in Kabul just remains the prisoner of the old city; the statement has almost turned a cliché. Taliban plus ISI still holds the power and ability to strike deep inside the city at will. American and allied forces actual casualties are rising. On top of it, ISI has not stopped its favorite double game which has made Afghanistan a very dangerous place on earth. As expected, Obama exit strategy of 2014 would leave Afghanistan exactly where it all started; a vicious and lethal place which could still plan and execute deadly terrorist strikes all across the world and even inside USA. As the recent attack in Iraq taking a toll of over hundred lives says it all.

America has two options. One is to contain Pakistani ISI lock-stock and barrel from playing a spoil sport. And second one is to encourage India and Pakistan to bridge all those gaps in their relations; so meticulously created in last sixty five years since 1947. USA is incidentally partially responsible for the volatile relations between two neighbors; therefore, USA also has the moral responsibility to undo the damages incurred earlier. The Idea is if ISI was brought down to size by overt or covert means by CIA; possibly, all democratic forces in Pakistan would welcome such an initiative; though tacitly. As democratic Govt. in Pakistan is finding it hard to tame its own spy agency; which has become a law on to itself. Then Taliban and other strategic assets of ISI in the border regions of two countries would become very weak; and, those can be easily handled by allied forces and win some tactical advantage. This hypothesis would only work as and when the democratic Govt. and their respective armed forces (India & Pakistan) are together on terrorism and on development. This is in fact a good time as the public pressure is growing on Govt. of Pakistan for better economic performance and governance; and as India & Pakistan share a complementary economy and culture, USA would find it easier and less expensive to bring the two neighbors together by incentivising the trade, commerce and cultural contacts which eventually would integrate the two economy and act as insurance against Pakistani interference in Afghanistan. The popular belief remains-Afghanistan policy of Pakistan was India centric; largely out of its own existential crisis. If India and Pakistan get their acts together once; then it would be very difficult and expensive for Pakistan to disentangle and support Taliban and others in the soils of its neighbor; which will clear the high way for USA and allied forces for a decisive military victory or a diplomatic negotiated settlement bringing curtains to the terrorism factory of the World. This new Afghan strategy of USA could facilitate a smooth American exit by 2014-16. Obama administration should and must spare a thought.

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PRANAB COULD TRASFORM PRESIDENCY

Bikash Choudhury

What an Irony? The person, who wished to be happy being a horse in the presidential stable, three decades a go, actually became the 13 th President of India on 25 July 2012. Pranab Da as he is called affectionately did raise a few pertinent points like fourth world war and poverty being National humiliation in his brief acceptance speech in the central hall of parliament. Millions of Indians would be curious to know; what would be engaging his mind? While his role changes from being the Leader of the house to that of head of parliament, supreme commander of armed forces and also the first citizen of the country. He must be reliving the great journey in public life of four decades; and may be he would take a shot at brushing up his Hindi at leisure in the comfort of Raisna Hills. Now, that he has become non-political; the coalition compulsion would not bother him neither the state of economy on a daily basis. What he will do with his time and a fertile mind stuffed with data and experience? Some would advise him to start writing a memoir; I guess it is too early on the day.

                       Pranab could make a very good “Strategic Advisor” of the Nation while transforming his presidency. Competitive politics has divided the entire polity on the middle; and therefore even a government with good intention could do very little to change the direction in development of the country. Political parties are an asset of the country and its democracy as it works as the safety valve for self expression in a country with divergent views, taste, caste, creed and religion and therefore we see less violent movements like ‘Arab spring’ in the country in spite of hardship due to price rise and shortage on governance .However, Political unity at National level is a must for a faster decision making on crucial issues facing the Nation. Pranab could work informally as the consensus builder of the Nation bringing his famous or infamous experience and expertise with backing of his current role as the President while working in that imposing structure. I wish time would come when leading political parties would inaugurate their annual conferences by the leaders of rival parties. The other big ticket intervention of Pranab presidency could be in judicial services. Currently millions of countrymen are languishing in jails without trial and equal numbers or more are waiting for the trial; which needs correction. Pranab could nudge both union Govt. and state Govt. to proceed faster on this vital issue which is unnecessarily heaping miseries on people; while our Foreign Office is taking up the cases of a few prisoners in the neighboring countries. Last but not the least; the Pranab presidency could also make difference to two big issues. That is Water and Women. Water holds preeminent position in our National development and transformation and the same is most used and abused item in our daily life. Currently, 150 rivers across the country are heavily polluted and our track record on Rain Water Conservation is questionable which needs correction. With a sponsor in Risana Hills the issue would get the attention that it deserves from Govt., private sector, NGO and people at large with higher level of awareness. The growing atrocities on women in the country has reached an alarming proportion; two lakh three thousand(2,03,000) in 2009, two lakh thirteen thousand(2,13,000) in 2010 and two lakh twenty eight thousand(2,28,000) in 2011. Pranab who is a devoted brother, a protective husband and affectionate father of a daughter would find time to impress upon union and state Govt. to create institutional mechanism to provide adequate security and safety to women.   

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Mobile: 009853426657/009238912647 Address:flat # 105 Kalpataru Nivas(apartment) Patia Bhubaneswar Odisha INDIA-751024