कोणार्क 2022 तक बन सकता है भारत का पहला उत्सर्जन मुक्त शहर

मनीष कुमार

भुवनेश्वर: ओडिशा में पर्यटन को लेके चर्चित शहर कोणार्क भारत का पहला ऐसा शहर बनाने की तैयारी में है जो पूर्णत: उत्सर्जन मुक्त हो।  राज्य सरकार ने इस कार्य को 2022 तक समाप्त करने  का लक्ष्य रखा है।  राज्य सरकार का यह दावा है कि इस शहर की संपूर्ण उर्जा खपत की मांग को स्वच्छ उर्जा से पूरा किया जाएगा और इस ओर भरसक प्रयास भी किए जा रहे है। 

यहाँ के सरकारी उपक्रम जो इस परियोजना में शामिल है उनका कहना है की इसमें से कई कार्यो को अंजाम भी दिया जा चुका है एवं बचे हुए कार्य जल्द की पूरे कर लिए जायेंगे। 

लक्ष्य के अनुसार ऑफ ग्रीड से संबंधित सारे कार्यो को इस चलित वर्ष के सितंबर महीने तक पूरा कर लेना है एवं ग्रीड से जुड़े कार्यों को अगले वर्ष सितंबर तक पूरा करने का लक्ष्य निर्धारित किया गया है।

ओडिशा उक्षय ऊर्जा विकास एजेंसी (OREDA) ने इस कार्य का दारोमदार हाल ही के कुछ दिनों में लिया है। इस परियोजना को पूरा करने के लिए OREDA ने इसे दो भागों में बांटा है।

एक ओर ऑफ ग्रीड साधनो से कोपार्क में कई छोटी मोटी सुविधाओं को मुहैय्या कराया जाएगा जिसमे सौर उर्जा से चलने वाले पानी की नल, लाईट इत्यादि की व्यवस्था की जाएगी। वही दूसरी ओर शहर की बढ़ती उर्जा निर्भरता को देखते हुए कालाहांडी में एक सौर उर्जा का प्रकल्प स्थिापित किया जा रहा  है। 

 “हमने कोणार्क शहर को उत्सर्जन मुक्त बनाने के लिए सभी संभावित प्रयास किए हैं। हमने पहले ये पता लगाने की कोशिश की कि इस शहर की प्रतिदिन की उर्जा खपत कितनी है। हमने पाया की इसकी खपत लगभग 10MW के करीब है। इसे पूरा करने के लिए हमारी संस्था 10MW का एक प्रकल्प कालाहांडी मे स्थापित करने जा रही हैं," OREDA के संयुक्त निदेशक अशोक चौधरी ने कहा ।

उनका कहना है कि यदि यह प्रकल्प शहर की प्रतिदिन की खपत से ज़्यादा उर्जा का उत्पादन कर पाता है तो कोणार्क भारत का पहला ऐसा शहर बन जायेगा जो पूर्णत: उत्सर्जन मुक्त होगा। 

कोरापुट कॉफी: कैसे परंपरागत विधि ने बनाया एक वैश्विक ब्रांड

कोरापुट ओडिशा राज्य का एक छोटा सा ज़िला है जो अपने प्राकृतिक सम्पदा एवं आदिवासी जीवनशैली के लिए जाना जाता है। यह भारत के पूर्वर्ती इलाके में स्तिथ है। पिछले कुछ दशकों में यह ज़िला अपने उत्कृष्ट दर्जे के कॉफी उत्पादन के लिए सुर्खियों में रहा है। 

यहाँ के आदिवासी किसानों के मेहनत के बदौलत इस जिले को एक नया मुकाम प्राप्त हुआ है। यहाँ के किसानों द्वारा उगाए गए कॉफी शहरी इलाकों एवं ऑनलाइन बाजार में तहलका मचा रही है। एक छोटे से इलाके में उत्पादित कॉफी एवं उसका व्यापाक विकास किसानो की महनत एवं सरकार के प्रोत्साहन से संभव हो पाया है।

सरकारी आंकड़ों के अनुसार इस ज़िले के सात ब्लाक एवं १,४५,००० हेक्टेयर भूभाग कॉफी के खेती के लिए अनुकूल है। ऐसा माना जाता है कि ऐतिहासिक तौर पर कॉफी का उद्पादन यहाँ १९३० के दशक में हुआ। उस समय के राजा बहादुर देब ने अपने निजी ज़मीन में कॉफी के पौधे लगाये एवं इसके खेती को बढ़ावा देने के लिए कई कदम उठाये।  उनके देहांत के बाद ओडिशा सरकार ने कॉफी उत्पादन को बढ़ावा देने के लिए वहा के किसानो का हाथ थामा । १९६० के दशक में राज्य सरकार ने कई इच्छुक किसानों को चार वर्षो में लिए ज़मीने वितरित की एवं कॉफी उत्पादन पर लगने वाले खर्च के भार भी अपने जिम्मे लिया। इससे कॉफी के खेती में किसानों द्वारा लगने वाली लागत लगभग शून्य पर आ गयी । हालाँकि कुछ वर्षो बाद प्रशाशन को ये बात समझ में आई की  केवल ज़मीन आवंटन से अपेक्षित परिणाम नहीं मिल रहे थे ।  

वर्ष २०१७ में उस समय के जिला अधिकारी ने दूसरे संस्थानों के साथ बातचीत करके कुछ नए उपायों की समीक्षा की जिससे की इस स्थानीय उत्पाद को बढ़ावा दिया जा सके एवं कोरापुट में उगायी गए कॉफी राष्ट्रीय एवं विश्व स्तर पर अपना नाम कर स्तापित कर सके । प्रशाशन एवं वहां के किसानों को उनके कॉफी  पर काफी भरोसा था और भरसक प्रयास किये गए की वहा की उत्पादित कॉफी एक नया चर्चित ब्रांड बनके उभरे।   

सुंसगठित प्रयास एवं विकेन्द्रित योजना ने दिलाई कोरोना से जीत

एक विशेष साक्षात्कार मे खुर्दा ज़िले के कलेक्टर सनत मोहंती ने अपने दो वर्ष में कोरोना महामारी से लड़ने के अनुभव, शिल्पो को बढ़ावा देने और राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग के विकास के कहानी हमसे साझा की। साक्षात्कार के अंश:

प्र: खुर्दा जिला पूरे राज्य में आज भी कोरोना के मामलो में सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित है।  आपकी प्रतिक्रिया?

कलेक्टर: खुर्दा जिला प्रशासन का कार्यक्षेत्र भुबनेश्वर नगर निगम के बाहर के क्षेत्र का है।  हमने पिछले एक महीने में कोरोना से निपटने में एक अहम् भूमिका निभायी है ।  ये हमारे निरंतर प्रयास का ही नतीजा है ।  जून के पहले सप्ताह में कोरोना महामारी की पाजिटिविटी रेट १४ प्रतिशत थी जो जुलाई के प्रथम सप्ताह में २,०९ प्रतिसत तक जा पहुंची ।  ये तब हुआ जब हम १६०० के जांच के लक्ष्य को पार करके ३००० नमूनों के जांच करने लगे।  

प्र: वो कौन से बड़े कदम थे जिसने कोरोना के मामलो में कमी लाने में मदद की?

कलेक्टर: जैसे ही कोरोना के मामले सामने आये, हमने एक नोडल अधिकारी हर ब्लॉक में नियुक्त करना आरम्भ कर दिया ।  मैंने खुद हर सप्ताह में तीन दिन इस विषय में सूचना ली और अधिकारिओ से बात करना शुरु कर दिय।  मुख्यमंत्री के आदेशानुसार हमने मिशन शक्ति के सदस्यों, पंचायती राज संस्थानों के सदस्यों से मिलके नयी योजनाए बनाई एवं उसपर काम करना शुरु कर दिया।  

प्र: खुर्दा जिला कोरोना के तीसरी लहर से लड़ने के लिए अपने आप को कैसे तैयार कर रहा है?

कलेक्टर: कोरोना के तीसरे लहर के खतरे के मद्देनज़र जिला प्रशासन कही कदम उठा रहा है ।  हमने समाज में ज्यादा संवेदनशील लोगो को ध्यान में रखते हुए उनके टीकाकरण को प्रमुख्ता दी है ।  नवजात बच्चो के लिए विशेष रूप से अस्पतालों में व्यवस्ता की जा रही है ।  प्रशासन गाओं के स्तर तक सारी सुविधाएं मुहैय्या कराने का प्रयास कर रही है ।  

   

नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा के लक्ष्य को पाने में विफल हो सकता है ओडिशा

लेखक-मनीष कुमार

भुबनेश्वर: ओडिशा सरकार की उत्सर्जन को कम करने एवं स्वच्छ ऊर्जा की और कदम बढ़ाने की महत्वकांची योजरने की योजना बनाई थी।  

 इस लक्ष्य के अंतर्गत, सरकार ने उत्सर्जन को कम करने एवं स्वच्छ ऊर्जा को बढ़ावा देने का निर्णय लिया था। इसमें नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा के स्त्रोत जैसे-- सौर ऊर्जा, पवन ऊर्जा, बायोमास ऊर्जा को प्रोत्साहन देने पर जोर दिया गया था।  

परन्तु, समकालीन गति की विवेचना कहती है स्वच्छ ऊर्जा के लिए किया जाने वाला काम धीमी गति से चल रही  है। 

केंद्रीय बिजली प्राधिकरण के आंकड़े कहतें है की ओडिशा में कोयले से बनी ऊर्जा  कुल बिजली उत्पादन का लगभग ६६% है, जबकि जल प्रपात ऊर्जा का हिस्सा लगभग २६ प्रतिशत है।  वही नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा केवल ७ प्रतिशत का ही योगदान दे पाती है।   ये आंकड़े जून ३०,२०२१ तक के है।  

जो विशेषज्ञ इस क्षेत्र में कार्यरत है उनका कहना है की सौर ऊर्जा ओडिशा में नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा का सबसे बड़ा भाग है जबकि पवन ऊर्जा का राज्य के बिजली उत्पादन में नगण्य स्थान रहा है।   

राज्य के बिजली विभाग के सूत्रों ने हमें बताया की एक से अधिक विभागों का एक की क्षेत्र के काम करने से असमंजस की स्तिथि पैदा हो जाती है जो पुरे योजना को प्रभावित करती है और कई बार विलम्भ का कारक भी सिद्ध होती है।  

"स्वच्छ ऊर्जा के उत्पादन एवं प्रोत्साहन में अनेक विभागों की मौजुदीकी एक बड़ी बाधा सिद्ध होती है।  इस राज्य में सोलर पार्क ना  होना भी स्वच्छ ऊर्जा के तरफ बढ़ाये गए हमारे कदमो को पीछे ले जाती है हालांकि कई अलग राज्यों में कई बड़े स्तर के सोलर पार्क्स देखने को मिलते है," बिजली विभाग के एक सूत्र ने हमारे बताया।  

हालांकि राज्य की सोलर पालिसी २०१६, नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा को विकसित करने वाले घटको को प्रोत्साहन देने की बात करती है किन्तु केंद्र सरकार की तरह ओडिशा में उपभोग्ताओ को सब्सिडी देने का कोई प्रावधान नहीं है।  

हमारे द्वारा संचित की गई राष्ट्रीय स्तर के आंकड़े बताते है की ओडिशा आज भी नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा के क्षेत्र मे अग्रणी राज्यों की सूचि में शामिल नहीं है। ना योजनाबध तरीके से नहीं चल पा रही है ।  यदि सरकार के आंकड़ों की माने तो राज्य सरकार की  2.2 GW नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा क्षमता को पाने का लक्ष्य अधूरा ही रह सकता है ।  

Supreme Court sets aside Orissa HC order, bans engg through distance mode

By-Manish Kumar

New Delhi, Nov 4: The Supreme Court has now ordered recalling of engineering degrees earned through distance mode through a deemed university while hearing a petition which reviewed the contradictory verdicts of Orissa High Court and the Punjab & Haryana high Court.

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Adarsh Goel and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit Friday ordered recalling the engineering degrees earned through distance mode. The written order was made public Saturday.

The court order says, “Students who were admitted after the academic sessions 2001-2005, their degrees in engineering awarded by the concerned deemed to be universities through distance education mode stand recalled and be treated as cancelled. All benefits secured by such candidates shall stand withdrawn…”

The court also asked directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) for ensuring that the deemed universities restrain from using the word ‘deemed’ within one month. The degrees in engineering obtained by serving diploma holders through distance mode offered by certain deemed universities through “off campus study centres” were been found valid entitling the concerned candidates to benefits available for any serving graduate engineers by the Orissa HC whereas the decision rendered by the High Court of Punjab & Haryana was to the contrary.

The SC order said, “We thus accept the view taken by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh and set aside the decision of the High Court of Orissa. With the aforementioned observations, appeals are disposed of. No order as to costs.”

However the court has given the aggrieved students whose degrees would be nullified to appear in an examination where they will be given two chance to clear the exam. As per the SC order all advantages of the candidates would be restored if they clear the case.

However, some from the education sector expressed displeasure over the verdict. Advocate Ravi Bharadwaj, an education matter expert said, “I am surprised to note that the SC feels that the Deemed Universities are unregulated, which is not the case, in fact they are the most regulated rather controlled segment. I do not think, the Deemed Universities by any provision of the UGC Act, 1956 is not entitled to use the ‘University’, however, we have to abide the judgement unless re-visited.”

27-yr-old IITian-turned-bureaucrat devises govt's disability app

Manish Kumar 

New Delhi, Sept 26: After equipping himself with the required technical expertise of computer software and hardware functions, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkeee turned bureaucrat has now devised a one-stop mobile app for the disabled.

The 27-year-old Anunaya Jha, who is currently working as the assistant secretary at the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities during his short stint at the ministry along with his colleague Susheela Banot (doctor-turned bureaucrat) in a span of three-month has developed the mobile application, envisioned to take care of the special needs of the differently-abled population of the country.

The mobile application christened as ‘Divyang Sarthi’ was launched Tuesday by the Union Social Justice and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Minister Thawarchand Gehlot. The app has been planned to act a one-stop centre for the disabled to access all information related to their disability and rehabilitation.

“It can act a one-stop app for the disabled which can give them all required 

information like-government schemes, scholarships, list of institutions working for them, where to find assistive devices among others. Even blind persons can also use it as it is equipped with text reader and also text magnifier for people with low vision,” Jha said.

Banot meanwhile said that it will now likely end the trauma of the disabled people who had no option but to surf several other website for the information they wanted to seek. “We are hopeful that it will act as a guiding path for them,” Banot said.

When asked how the whole system was made, Jha said that the technical works relating to the formulation of the app was taken care by himself while research and some content work were done by Banot. “I worked on the technical aspect of forming the app. I also took the help of some students of IIT-Roorkee who happily jumped onto the bandwagon of the government project spearheaded by us,” said Jha.

The duo budding bureaucrats are now working to improve the app by adding more features in the coming days like inclusion of more languages besides English/Hindi and including sign languages so that more types of differently-abled people can use the government’s disability app.

Jha hails from Motihari in Bihar and is a 2015-batch young IAS officer working with the government. He finished his studies at IIT Roorkee in 2012 before jumping onto the bandwagon of Indian bureacracy. 

SC's observation on Aadhar to give a boast to BJD MPs

By-Manish Kumar

New Delhi, April 21: The grilling of the NDA government by the Supreme Court Friday over making Aadhar mandatory against the will of the apex court seemed to validate the stance of the BJD which it had been taking in the Parliament against Aadhar, at least for the party MPs. The observation by the apex court is likely to emobolden the party MPs who raised their concerns on the issue. It is likely that they will use this case to buttress their points in the Parliament in future whenever the issue of Aadhar will come for discussion.

The BJD MPs in the recent two sessions had been strongly opposing the NDA government’s intention to make Aadhar mandatory for Indian citizens for several government schemes. Several party MPs in the recently-concluded Budget session had expressed their reservations on the issue and had criticized the government on the front.

Many MPs had claimed it had been depriving the people from important government services. During the HIV and AIDS bill debate in the Lok Sabha, Aska MP Ladu Kishore Swain had said, “There have been reported cases where the government is allegedly seeking the Aadhar details of the HIV patients which had led to many patients opting out of the treatment through the ART centres,” Swain said.

BJD’s Chief Whip Tathagata Satpathy while debating on the Statistics Collection (Amendment) Bill 2017 in the Lower House in the Budget Sesson had said, “The government is forcing Aadhar to the citizens of the country and infact arbitrarily and illegally imposing it on us. Such private data are likely to land up in the hands of the bureaucrats and other agencies are likely to be misused.”

“We need to understand that privacy is of utmost importance in the modern world. I have been opposing the use of Aadhar since the idea was mooted during the UPA government. It is a deadly thing and has been unknowingly dumping it with unknown individu,” he had said.

Similarly, Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab while raising the concern had said, “You (Centre) are forcing the citizens of the country to have Aadhar which is still being disputed in the Supreme Court. This is a point of concern.”

However against the reservations of the BJD MPs, the NDA government seemed to be defiant on the issue. Interestingly, when Mahtab raised the issue in the Lower House, Union finance minister in response to Mahtab said, “Yes we are (forcing Aadhar).”

On many fronts, BJD MPs have strongly opposed to the idea of making Aadhar mandatory and even termed it illegal. The stand taken by the SC Friday is only likely to bolester the party and likely to boost their opposition with the shielding of the apex court order.

Odisha ministers, babus spent Rs 1 cr of taxpayers' money on foreign trips but foreign footfalls only declined

By-Manish Kumar

New Delhi: The state tourism department seems to be pouring out huge amounts of funds out of taxpayers’ money on “official trips” to foreign countries ostensibly to promote tourism in the state, even though hardly any positive results are seen in the number of foreigners visiting the state.

More than Rs 1 crore – Rs 1,07,62,478, to be precise – was spent by the tourism department in two foreign trips by its officials in 2015, said the department in response to an RTI application filed by Orissa POST seeking information on funds it spent on foreign trips.

The two trips were made by a group of around five officials of the department to Berlin and London last year. State tourism minister Ashok Chandra Panda was also a part of the touring delegation.

According to the department, the high expenses were incurred on heads such as payment of participation fees at tourism fairs, airfare of the delegations, accommodation of officials and the minister in the foreign countries, construction of stands at the fairs, DA, insurance and a category simply referred to as “miscellaneous”.

Astonishingly, the department spent around `20 lakh alone at the World Travel Mart in London for construction of a stand. Expenses for the same at ITB in Berlin were `19 lakh, revealed the RTI reply. These stands contained photographs and other display material intended to highlight tourism destinations of Orissa.

But despite these expensive junkets, there has been no rise in the number of foreign tourists visiting Orissa. The inflow of foreign tourists to Konark has, in fact, kept declining in the last five years as reported by Orissa POST July 3. The state tourism minister also admitted in the state Assembly that the inflow of foreign tourists to the state has declined in 2015.

Experts in the tourism sector blamed this scenario on a distinct lack of vision of the state tourism department, saying the department has failed in using funds properly for promoting tourism in Orissa.

“The falling interest of foreigners in visiting Orissa is due to the state’s non-organised tourism sector, which prevents a large number of foreigners from visiting the state. Some states like Goa, Rajasthan and Kerala are flourishing because they have a better organised tourism sector. Foreigners prefer states that offer better and organised services,” said Himanshu Das, vice-president of All Orissa Travel and Tour Operators, to Orissa POST.

Many tour operators and private tourism sector players who take part in such foreign events at their own cost said the state government’s tourism department officials do not enthusiastically work for boosting tourism while in foreign countries.

“Most of them just sit in their stands waiting for people to come and interact with them. They do not on their own meet global tour operators and work for arrangements to ensure better tourist inflow from their countries. Public money is wasted if the government delegations do not do their jobs honestly and use such funds to merely visit foreign countries largely for shopping,” said a private tour operator who took part at the World Travel Trade in London.

An official from the state tourism department, however, said the funds were used to promote Orissa Tourism in foreign countries.

“The delegation met many foreigners there and showed them Orissa’s tourism-related strengths through multimedia, posters and direct interactions and meetings,” he added.

At a time when the department spends lavishly on foreign trips, there seems to be little effort to fill the posts of tourist officers lying vacant in the state, pointed out experts. Tourist officers act as the medium between the department and tourists wishing to travel to different parts of the state.

Magnitude of organic farming has increased manifolds, says leading organic farming expert

Krishan Chandra is the Director of Ghaziabad-based National Centre of Organic Farming, a part of the Ministry of Agriculture which works to boost organic farming in the country. In an exclusive interview  Chandra shares the scope of organic farming. Excerpts from the Interview:  

Manish Kumar

1: What is the current magnitude of organic farming in the country?

Chandra: It has registered a growth of 30 per cent while there had been an appreciable growth on this front in the last two years. 10 years ago we had only 40,000 hectare certified organic farming land in the country which had now escalated to 15 million hectare. But there also some parts of uncertified lands where organic farming is done. Moreover our new portal has also received latest data of additional 2 lakh hectares of land where this farming is done.

2: Which are the states setting examples for others in organic farming?

Chandra: Some states like Madhya Pradesh which has inherent large forest areas have shown other states a way on how to go ahead with organic farming. Other well performing states include-Chattisgarh and Jharkhand which are faring well in this kind of pro-nature farming where more lands are now coming under organic farming.

3: How much potential you see in Orissa for organic farming?

Chandra: There is a good scope for organic farming in Orissa. There are some forest areas in Kalahandi and Phulwani districts of Orissa where traditional organic farming is practiced by the farmers for growing turmeric and ginger for the last 8-10 years with the support of the government. Also, they have a good marketing network there.

4: Your organization also has a branch in Orissa. How you are helping the state in boosting the farming in Orissa?

Chandra: We have been helping by creating awareness among farmers, training them for the same and empowering them with the required information on this front. Recently Traditional Farming Improvement Programme has been launched where our office in Orissa will form soon  clusters of 50 farmers each under the scheme. The government will give Rs 15 lakh to each cluster for input costs, training, branding and other areas to give an impetus to organic farming in Orissa. Funds for the same for Orissa have already been released.

5: What is the role of the state government in this?

Chandra: In the Traditional Farming Improvement Programme, the powers of choosing the clusters and beneficiaries and other important portfolios are given to the state government. We will be providing the technical support to the scheme to make it a success.

6: How much support you receive from Orissa government for boosting organic farming in the state?

Chandra: Some of our programmes often suffer due to changes of officials working from their side on this front. There should be a dedicated team of state government officials to work on boosting organic farming in the state. Also, the state still lacks a policy on organic farming which is hampering its prospects. Most of the states who have fared well in this sector have clear cut polices on organic farming.

7: How farmers can improve their productivity and selling prices?

Chandra: There are many farmers in Orissa who have not got their lands certified for organic farming which has deprived them of government assistance. If they get it certified by our office, which is free of cost they will be linked with us which will ensure them a minimum price for their produce, training and a one-stop information centre for all issues relating to organic farming. A single portal (http://pgsindia-ncof.gov.in/) could help these farmers for all kinds of government assistance. 

Anubhav, Samal & Jena most punctual Odisha MPs

WINTER SESSION

Manish Kumar

New Delhi, Dec 16: Two Lok Sabha MPs and one Rajya Sabha MP from Odisha seem to lead in the state in terms of attending most of the sittings of the recently concluded Winter Session of the Parliament, which was despite efforts by some parties failed to do much of the expected business.

In the Rajya Sabha,  BJD MP Anubhav Mohanty proved to be the most punctual as well as most responsible by asking the maximum number of questions in the Upper House. In the Upper House, the maximum sittings were attended by Mohanty who attended all the 21 sittings of the Upper House while following him was Independent candidate A V Swamy who was able to attend 19 out of 21 sittings. Moreover, Anubhav also asked the maximum number of 42 questions in the House which included both starred and unstarred questions, although many were asked only in the submission form which got written replies.

If the Lok Sabha attendance register is to be believed, Jagatsinghpur MP Kulamani Samal leads among all the Lok Sabha MPs from the state in terms of attendance as he successfully attended all the 21 sittings of the Lower House while Balasore MP Rabindra Kumar Jena attended 20 sittings while he was absent for a single day. Moreover, Aska MP Ladu Kishore Swain also attended 20 out of the 21 sittings of the Lower House.

The Winter Session of the Parliament ran from November 16-December 16 where a total of 21 sittings were held, most of which were lost due to heavy disruptions from the Opposition parties on the issue of demonetisation. However barring the cacophony of the House, the 21 Lok Sabha MPs from Orissa were able to raise some important public matter questions through the Zero Hour and the Question Hour.

Although not all the question listed in the daily Question Lists were asked due to frequent disruptions but all the questions were answered by the ministers concerned as written replies as per practice of the Parliament.

As per statistics of the Lok Sabha, the maximum number of questions in the Lower House including both starred and unstarred questions were asked by Jena who was able to seek replies to 41 of his questions while others who followed him included Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda who asked 26 questions while Samal asked 21 questions too.

Supported BJP earlier at a time of political crisis, says Baba Ramdev

Celebrated Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev who is also the face of Patanjali Ayurvedic Products is known for wearing his personal opinions on his sleeves. In an exclusive interview to at his Ashram in Haridwar, Ramdev speaks his heart out on issues like demonetization, Naveen Patnaik, plans to go global among others. Excerpts from the interview:

Manish Kumar

1. You have been holding numerous yoga sessions in different states for more than a decade. How you see Orissa from your perspective?

Ramdev: I have been visiting Orissa for the last 10 years. The state is the most gifted region in the country in terms of natural resources while it is a very important site in terms of religion. People of Orissa are honest and hard working. There are few who opine that Oriyas work harder when living outside their state, which is a false opinion. The land of Jagannath, possessing religious importance is also perceived as a state which has huge potential.

Also in our fight on economic freedom (against MNCs) Orissa has proved to be a spearheading state which is fighting hard to wipe out the Multi-National Companies (MNCs). We expect soon we can wipe out the MNCs from Orissa.

2: Different chief ministers have extended their support to you in the past either by offering lands to you for opening schools, hospitals or yoga training sessions. How much support you got from Naveen Patnaik?

Ramdev: Naveen ji is a very good person at heart. We maintain cordial relation with him. You must have seen in the past we never had any issues with each other. We also hope any future endeavors in Orissa are likely to be fruitful.

3: Any offers from Orissa government yet for land or support for your mission/business?

Ramdev: We have till now not talked on the issue but I hope if we would plan something we expect we can get good response from the government.

4: Mostly it is seen that the BJP-ruled states have extended you more support while not many non-BJP states have come forth. Do you think there is discrimination from the other side?

Ramdev: No. Recently Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav gave us 400 acres of land in a prime location in Noida. Our mission is not political, it is beyond that. Our mission is about giving the country economic freedom and all those who love their country are with us. Patanjali is a brand of the country, I am the unpaid brand ambadassor of Patanjali, Acharya Balakrishna is the unpaid CEO/MD of the same. If there is anything in the country which truly is a model of charity and trusteeship it is Patanjali.

5: You once started an agitation against the black money at the Ram Leela Grounds in New Delhi before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Do you think your agitation has brought tangible changes on the ground?   

Ramdev: Our main three objectives were black money, fight against corruption and revival of the corrupt system. For the implementation on ground levels, everything takes time. An agitation could be constructed in 10 days but bringing changes through an agitation at ground levels can take 10 years.

So accomplishing these three things would take some time but the intentions of Modi ji are clear and correct. He is working hard towards it.

6: Recently you alleged a scam in the demonetization process. How you seek to resolve the crisis due to demonetisation?

Ramdev: For making demonetization a success, we need to focus on four areas-firstly, there should not be any corruption in the banking system, secondly, RBI plays its entrusted responsibility honestly, thirdly, the taxation system works properly where it has to ensure the corrupt are not shielded and the honest common man is not harassed and lastly we need to change the attitude of the people.  

7: How you see the whole demonetization process?

Ramdev: Modiji with the right intentions has taken a very courageous and historic decision. But everything the Prime Minister alone cannot do. The system also needs to work in the correct path. If the above mentioned four segments work in tandem and with honesty, demonetization is going to be a success. Modiji is involved in making the system work properly. There are some challenges at the implementation level but slowly the issues are being resolved. But I feel problems of the problem due to demonetization are likely to persist even after December 30 this year.

8: It been a long time now since Patanjali came into existence. With the passage of time how you have tried to improve the quality of your products?

Ramdev: For the quality control three components are of paramount importance-raw materials, advanced world class technology and testing. Our raw materials are 100 per cent genuine and of high quality. We use world class advanced scientific equipment worth crores. We have around 200 scientists working with us. For testing our products we first try on ourselves before bringing in into the market. In India in the sector of Ayrurdevic production no one can mach to the level of infrastructure, equipment and skills of what we have.

9: But despite that allegations are sometime labeled against you on different fronts, the recent one includes court order of fines for Patanjali for misleading advertisements. How you see such charges?

Ramdev:  In the advertisement sector we are used to confrontations on an everyday basis. As far as the court order is concerned, we would appeal to the higher courts against it. If any small politician or individual with vested interests with such cases tries to lock horn with us we are not going to tow down.

10: With whom you face confrontations in the advertisement sector?

Ramdev: With the advertisement agencies. Representatives of the MNCs are sitting there. There are many rivals against them. I want to ask why there is hardly a single brand in India who had been able to rise against the MNCs in the last 70 years. It is because either they are suppressed or they are bought.

11: Are you planning to take your Ayurvedic products to the international markets too?

Ramdev: By 2017 we are planning to go global to sell our products to the international population. In Nagpur our production house where a part of it would be exclusively be dedicated to making products for exports is most likely to start functioning by next year. We are not focusing on few countries, we have eyed to export our products to across the globe.

12: Currently your products have entered the supermarkets through stores owned by Apollo, Future Group and Reliance. What would be your future steps to reach out to more people?

Ramdev: We have now entered in almost all modern popular chains. We are planning to have a full fledged extension now. We are now all set to venture into the online marketing through e-commerce sites in a big way to sell our products online by 2017.

13: You have been offering 500 products including recently releases Shishu products. What products are lined up next?

Ramdev: We are about to emerge in a big way into the dairy sector. We have aimed to launch out brand of textiles in the country by next year. In the textile sector we are planning to sell yoga wears, all Indian traditional wears, kids, ladies and gentswear and fashionable textiles.  

14: You have been teaching yoga for more than a decade. Do you see a rise in the number of your followers for yoga or it is stagnant/declined?

Ramdev: Many folds. And why it would not. What we do is directly connected to the people. Whatever we do either yoga or ayurvedic products, all are directly related and connected to the people. If you connect to the people it is definitely going to form a bond with them.

15: How you see the magnitude of your endevours in the next days to come?

Ramdev: In the next five years we are going to give direct employment to around 5 lakh people and connect around 5 crore farmers directly with us. And in terms of production it could reach to such a level that among the 125 crore people in Induia, all would be using atleast one of our products. This is the likely connectivity of people in the next five years. We have already reached half of the target now.

  

16: You have proposed the government of a Vedic Education Board in the country. Do you think this is feasible in the current scenario?

Ramdev: At the government level, these things are little bit tough. These are done through spirit. We are reframing from using the word ‘vedic’ now as it could give a false impression. We want an ‘Indian Education Board’ which could be a blend of modern scientific knowledge in addition to spiritual teachings. There will be a direct connectivity with the new world. Who would not like to get their kids admitted to these kinds of institutions? We are getting positive response from the government for the same.

17: In the past you had hinted about participating in politics. In future can we see you joining active politics?

Ramdev: At that time we asked for a better political alternative and I believe currently there is the alternative working at the central level. There is no question of me joining active politics. It was my Bhisma Pratigya (vow) not to accept any political position. But if the country is danger and I keep quit that is not possible for me.

18: But you had supported BJP earlier during elections?

Ramdev: That was a time of political crisis. Now I am Nirdaliya (Independent) but also Sarvadaliya (pro-all party). I will rise for the nation whenever the demand comes. The country is supreme for me. 

NITI Aayog’s draft bill empowers citizens to check doctors’ degrees

Manish Kumar

New Delhi, Aug 10: The NITI Aayog Wednesday released a draft bill christened draft National Medical Commission Bill 2016 which envisages repealing the current Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 which gives powers to the Medical Council of India (MCI) to regulate medical education in India. The move is likely to replace the MCI with the proposed National Medical Commision (NMC).

This comes after the widespread criticism of the workings of the MCI included in the 92nd Report of Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, presented to the Rajya Sabha  this year.

The Centre earlier had appointed a committee under the chairmanship of vice chairman of the NITI Aayog on March 28 this year.  The Committee, which included Additional Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, CEO, NITI Aayog and Secretary, H&FW as members, was asked to examine all options for reforms in the Medical Council of India and suggest the way forward.

According to the draft bill, now an electronic medical registry must be prepared by the state medical councils under the proposed Board for Medical Registrations. The bill mandates that the data pertaining to the degrees of every doctor from every state must be maintained in the electronic system which could also be accessible to the public as well.

The draft bill meanwhile also bats for forming three different bodies like- under graduate board for medical education, post graduate board for medical education and a board for medical registration. The bill envisages a National Medical Commission which would regulate the medical education in the country with additional powers.

The bill also talks about forming a search-cum-selection committee which will be formed out of members from the NITI Aayog and members from the health and family welfare ministry pre-dominantly. However it talks about autonomy of the commission and different bodies formed under the law once it gets passed by the Parliament.

The draft bill envisages the National Medical Commission (NMC) to be headed by a deserving chairman from the field of health with ample experience in the field besides having a member secretary, eight ex-officio members and 10 part time members.

However, the Aayog seemed to have given more powers to the selection of the members of the NMC and also more representation of bureaucrats from central deputation rather than encouraging participation from states.