We’re doing all that will strengthen Planning Board

The State Planning Board is a very important and indispensable institution of the State established with a purpose of galvanising and accelerating the State’s economic growth with proper plans and perspectives interspaced with enough foresight, far-sight and insight. Eminent personalities beginning from legendary Biju Patnaik, Nandini Satpathy, Nilamani Routray, JB Patnaik and AP Singh were at the vanguard of this organisation as its Chairpersons. Similarly, noted economists Dr Baidyanath Mishra and planners like Chandra Madhab Mishra, Surendra Nath Naik, Bed Prakash Agrawal and N Bhaskar Rao were also at the helm of affairs of the Planning Board as its Vice-Chairpersons.

Presently, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik adorns the post of its Chairman since 2000 while Bishnu Charan Das holds the post of Deputy Chairman since March 2017. Das is a popular leader endeared to the masses which is sustained and substantiated from the telltale evidences that he was elected as MLA from the Jagatsinghpur constituency from 1990 to 2014. He was also a Minister for School & Mass Education in the year 2006-2007 and a member of the Rajya Sabha from July 2016 to March 2017, a position from which relinquished for the larger interests of his party, the BJD. A committed loyalist to the Biju dynasty, Das is determined to accelerate expeditiously the economic applecart of the State as the Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Board. In an interview to The Pioneer, Das spoke to Sugyan Choudhury at his office at the State Secretariat.

What are the main objectives of the State Planning Board?

• It shall prepare five-year plan and long-term development plan for the State.
• It shall examine the departmental proposals and prepare the annual plan of the State.
• It shall review periodically the progress of the plan programmes and bring to the notice of Government all important points requiring action.
• It shall carry out necessary changes, modifications or adjustments in the plans in accordance with policies approved by the Government from time to time; and in doing so, generally ensure that the principles of sound planning are followed in all departments.
• It shall be  responsible for coordinating the activities of all departments in so far as they are related to planning and execution of plan programmes.
• It shall advice the Government in all matters of planning.

How far has it lived up to its purposes?

The State Planning Board has been doing a marathon job by providing funds from a Special Problem Fund towards the deprived areas under its aegis. The main purposes of the State Planning Board are to reduce the economic divide and the regional imbalances by spearheading the grandiose plans of the State’s ambitious projects and plans from such designated funds as above specially earmarked for the purpose.

What are your vision plans for strengthening the State Planning Board?

We have great visions for administering economic packages for all-round development of the weaker and deprived sections throughout the State with an ultimate view of catapulting the State’s economic growth trajectory to a higher level. This is the vision plan of our popular Chief Minister for putting the State as an emancipative and egalitarian State in comparison to and in contrast with all other States of the nation.

Are the budgetary provisions for the State Planning Board adequate to meet its desired goals?

The budgetary provisions are certainly sufficient, but we may augment the budgetary allocation as and when required keeping in view the demands of the State.

What are the plans on your agenda for invigorating the State Planning Board?

We are straining our every nerve for strengthening the Planning Board to meet the demands and aspirations of the various economically-deprived sections of our people. The Planning Board is being geared to meet the immediate and urgent needs of various regions of the State like northern, southern, eastern and western parts so as to provide them with level playing fields for the development of the State at their doorsteps.

How do you combine your party organisational activities with your present responsibilities?

I do not find any difficulty in combining the two responsibilities. I am quite at ease in my organisational works of the district (Jagatsinghpur) as I am associated with this since my early days as a committed BJD soldier. Similarly, I am quite at home with my present responsibility of Board Deputy Chairmanship owing to my long, long experience as an MLA, as a Minister and as a former Parliamentarian.

Do you think that the dropping of Damodar Rout from the Ministry shall pose problem for the BJD in Jagatsinghpur district?

With charity to all and malice to none, it strikes me much that the exits and the entrances of political leaders hardly matter as long as Naveen Patnaik remains the captain of the party.

Did you think that your party would come out so stunningly successful in the Bijepur bye-election?

It was as clear as the broad daylight of the sun. People of Bijepur believed in the great developmental works unleashed by our popular Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. People of Bijepur knew very well that our Chief Minister talks less and does more while the Opposition talks big and does little.