FIX IT MR. PRIME MINISTER

Bikash Choudhury

Patia is a small hamlet of Bhubaneswar which has recently seen both vertical and horizontal transformation. This locality of the city has attained stardom with the inception and growth of private University KIIT that supports over 20,000 students from across the country and abroad. Prime Minister and Presidents and captains of Industry visit this area while visiting the KIIT University Campus. In last six months this locality has seen a dip drop in house rents and thousands of properties looking for customers at the same time. The booming Real Estate Sector and Education Industry now languish with very poor demand. Job prospects for young professionals not looking all that bright. And, story apparently not much different all across the country. Strange and surprise is in spite of new central Govt. taking some very good initiatives not much has changed on the ground  since the days of UPA and it seems the result of  good economics may take another 18 months to see the light of the day. Apparently, Govt. has not taken a bold move to capture some low hanging fruits like say operalisation of multi brand retail policy taken by previous UPA Govt. and public sector reforms. At least Govt. could leave it to the better judgment of State Govt.  On multi brand retail and chop and chew that public sector which are guzzling public money and produce very little. Union Govt. has ushered in the Digital India program; however, it has not till date pull up the useless BSNL to speed up the broad band speed; most of the time in a city like Bhubaneswar you only get a speed of 10 KBPS against a promise of 100 KBPS. Why this problem can’t be fixed immediately? If this problem were fixed in short term, then union Govt. would look good and economy also would pick up speed. Recently, Mumbai City was under water and its life lines disrupted; how long this city has to wait for good roads and rain water evacuation arrangement? Mumbai city apparently contribute about 25-30% of Union Govt. revenue which ask for basic infrastructure restored. If Chinese can build 44 K.M long sea bridge in 4 years; can’t we build world class roads for Mumbai in 18 months? NDA Govt. got a boot in 2004 for India Shining campaign and once again it can be striped of power in 2019 if it does not deliver in the short run. Fix it Mr. Prime Minister.