Biju Babu and District Reorganisation
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February - March - 2012 Odisha Review Biju Babu and District Reorganisation Dr. Tusar Kanta Pattnaik “If the area of operation gets limited and election to the Orissa Assembly in January, 1937. fragmented too, the managerial efficiency The new province was then consisted of only 6 becomes seemingly developed and the success districts and the income of the new state was less reaches very smoothly” once than rupees two crores. The advised Nepoleon income was just enough to Bonaparte to his military maintain the administrative generals. Biju Patnaik who machinery. No major idolized Napolean had taken development, could be a cue from his remarks, undertaken with such meagre strived passionately to income. The immediate task crystalliz his long cherished of popular ministry formed in desire for district July, 1937 was to bring all the reorganization. Although it districts under one unified was not materialized in his first law. While the three coastal tenure owing to his short stint, districts in Cuttack, Puri, and but in his second spell as Balasore were being Chief Minister, Biju babu administered under Bengal started with renewed vigour Laws, Ganjam and Koraput and unremitting zeal for districts were being district reorganization in order administered under Madras to make administration Presidency Laws and transparent and closer to the Sambalpur being people. administered under Central Provinces Laws. Since the inauguration of the new province of Orissa on 1st April 1936, which was Formation of District after Independence : administered by an Advisory Council consisting of the former Orissa members of Bihar and Orissa Government of Orissa, soon after the and Madras provinces council till 1937 March. merger of states in 1948 declared seven new A council of ministers was constituted after the districts over and above the already existing six 37 Odisha Review February-March - 2012 districts. The new districts were Dhenkanal, claims of Sareikela and Kharsuan, there was a Sundergarh, Mayurbhanja, Phulbani, Balangir and very strong movement in Orissa known as the Kalahandi. By formation of these new districts, SRC movement in 1956 which took a toll of a comprising some major and important ex-states, few lives after which Naba Babu voluntarily Government of Orissa tactfully managed to some stepped down from the government and thus his what assuage the feelings of the ex-rulers and the dream of reorganization of districts could not people of those former states. There were as materialize. District reorganization could not also many as 471 districts in India in 1992 as against be possible in the following years because of a total of 300 districts in India in 1952. This means continued political instability in the state. that there was a rise of 57% of districts in All India level within a span of 40 years as against Biju Patnaik brought stability to the absolutely no rise in Orissa. Chief Minister of Government as Orissa’s Chief Minister in 1961 Orissa Naba Krushna Choudhury was and started the “Age in Industrialisation” in the contemplating to form new districts in order to state. Unfortunately Biju stepped down from increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the power in October 1963 in the Kamraj Plan. district administration. Government of India set a Because of his busy engagements for all round Commission for reorganization of states known industrialization of the state, reorganization of as the State Reorganisation Commission (SRC)in districts could not be made possible within his 1955-56. The state government then decided to short tenure of Chief Ministership. put forth its legitimate demands for merger of the Political instability again continued in the outlying oriya–speaking–tracts of Sareikela and state after Biju Patnaik left his office. However, Kharasuan in Bihar with Orissa before the shortly before the proclamation of President’s Commission. Accordingly the work started in Rule in Orissa in 1973 Government appointed a marathon speed in a new department specially “District Reorganisation Committee” under the opened for the purpose under Shri Radhanath chairmanship of justice Raj Kishore Das which Rath, the then Development Minister in 1955 to gave its report in 1975. Despite certain prepare Government records and relevant recommendations of this Committee, Government documents in support of the government’s stand could not take any definite decision on to take its claim for Sareikela and Kharasuan in reorganization of districts for want of resources the North and other out-lying Oriya tracts in or for their lack of political will till 1990. Andhra in the South and in Madhya Pradesh in the West. Shri Radhanath Rath worked day and Janata Dal in Orissa under the leadership night for months together and led unimpeachable of vibrant Biju Patnaik won the 1990 General evidence and advanced irrefutable arguments election in a thumping majority. In its election before SR Commission on behalf of the manifesto, Janata Dal promised for reorganization Government of Orissa to support its claim. But of districts. Mr. Patnaik desired and evinced keen owing the strong Bihar lobby in Delhi, the interest to give priority to district reorganization Commission in their recommendation in 1956 which he could not fulfill within short span of his rejected the demands of Orissa on the border first Chief Ministership during the year 1961-63. areas in question. Following the announcements Biju Babu gave Revenue Minister Surendra of the SRC rejecting Orissa’s just and reasonable Nayak green signal to go ahead with the onerous 38 February - March - 2012 Odisha Review task of reorganization of districts and immediately proportionate share of claim from the Centre on formed a cabinet sub-committee under his this head to meet this deficit with limited resources. chairmanship for necessary guidance and timely Govt. also made a budget provision of Rs. 6 aid and advice. The stupendous job was crores for this purpose for the year 1993-94. accomplished in time as the officers cooperated Even Government was ready to observe economy sincerely. By the beginning of October 1990 the and timely financial austerity incase of amounts Cabinet decided for formation of ten new districts falls shorts of requirements. To achieve and in the state for which a grant of rupees five crores implement this noble purpose of instant was also made. On further demands from the reorganization some inconveniences in the matter breadth and length of the state for creation of more of office and residential accommodations, and more districts, Government later on decided conveyance and vehicle, furniture and other to form five more new districts thus making a total facilities and prerequisites in the new district of 15 in all. Considering the recommendations of headquarters, was palpable but with the utmost the 15 year old reports of the aforesaid District sincerity of Biju Patnaik Government, it was Reorganisation Committee and keeping in view gradually diminished. Finally district reorganization the changes in the contemporary political, which was chimera for myriad Oriyas became a geographical, economic and social sectors and reality. such other relevant factors and above all, the opinion of the people Government decided to form these new districts in the state. Sequel to the formation of these new districts, of course, the overhead cost of expenditure on the administration head was increased for which Dr. Tusar Kanta Pattnaik, Head of the Department, th Government made demands to the 10 Finance Political Science, KISS (Campus 10), Patia, Commission of India for the release of the Bhubaneswar-24. 39.