Problems in Orissa

THE PEOPLE of Orissa have faced a number of problems since and continue to do so. The problems include lack of quality education in primary stage, poverty, unemployment, the politicisation and criminalisation of society, corruption and law and order problems.

The present educational system is a failure in Orissa. The pressure of the educational system is taking a toll on students. The exam oriented system judges the student on the basis of his performance in the annual examination held at the end of every session. Getting the child admitted in a good school is a Herculean task for the parents.

As people are the citizens of the country, the government should shoulder the responsibility of providing an immaculate environment to the people.

Industrialisation in Orissa was carried out by the private sector. Hence the progress of industrialisation was very slow. The primary occupation of the masses was agriculture, which yielded low per capita income. The increasing population is a matter of grave concern. The rate of economic growth has been unable to keep pace with the increasing population. Increase in population has meant an increase in unemployment.

The masses are illiterate and hence they were unaware of their rights and privileges. Due to low standard of living, the population of the state suffers from malnutrition, high infant mortality.

Another problem is the acute shortage of housing facilities in every district. The people were forced to live in bellow poverty line. There are 5.5 million families in the Below Poverty Line (BPL) list. The economic stagnation that has been witnessed in Orissa is because of the pluralistic pattern of society, unemployment and uneconomic outlook of the people.

Poverty in Orissa is on the decline but it is still a major issue. Rural Indians depend on unpredictable agriculture incomes, while urban Indians really on jobs that are at best scarce. Since 1990, the issue of poverty has remained a prevalent concern. Due to poverty, people of Malakangir, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, kandhamal, Bargard, Nayagadh, Gajpati, etc, are finding it difficult to meet the minimum requirement of acceptable living standards, many of them are unemployed and considered poor.

Millions of people in the state are unable to meet the basic standards of living. Nearly 70 per cent of the entire rural population and 40 per cent of the urban population of Orissa lives in this difficult physical and financial predicament. The state still has a long way to go in order to be called a developed state from all perspectives - social economical and political.

Since 2000, the Orissa government has implemented a number of programmes designed to eradicate poverty, and has had failure with these programmes. The government has sought to increase the GDP through different processes, including changes in industrial policies. The Training Rural Youth for Self Employment and other on-going programmes.

In September, 2000, the United Nations Millennium Summit brought out a historic resolution signed by 189 world leaders to reduce hunger and poverty from the world by 2015. This resolution was based on specific goals called Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Foremost among eight was ‘‘eradicate extreme poverty and hunger” India is also represented in this forum.

One third of the world’s poor live in India. According to the international poverty indicator of US$1/day ,the total number is 350 million , although the official statistics (19999-20000 place the number at 260 million or 26% of the total population. Around 22 % population in India live Below Poverty .The extreme poverty and hunger in India castling in villages where Bharat lives. (72% of total population lives in 5,50,000 lakh odd villages) .Orissa among all Indian states tops the incidence of poverty. Orissa emerges in the forefront of all states signifying all indices. Poverty is a condition created by unjust society ,denying people access to and control over the resources that they need to live a fulfilled life. Orissa also lives in villages. Almost 85% percent of people live in rural area of the state . Around 42 % people in Orissa and 47% people of rural Orissa live below poverty . Although it is the state of mineral resources and it spreads over 6000 sq km area . Iron ore occupies 33% of India ‘s reserve ,Bauxite is 50% ,Nickel is 95% chromite is 98% and coal is 24 % . Still it is difficult and stupendous task to eradicate poverty in Orissa.
We have succeeded in eradicating poverty by 2.92 % between 1993-94 and 2004-05.But in absolute number the people below Poverty has increased from 140.9 lakes in 1993-94 to 151.75 lakes in 2004-05 in Orison against all India figure of decreased from 2440.31 to 2209.24 lakes. This failure is achieved in time span of eleven years. So the annual average rate of reduction is only 0.265%. With this speed of progress it would be very ambitious projection made by NIRD , that Orissa would have only 4.63 % of people below poverty line by 2011-12. This critical analysis has given focus and try to justify that Eradication of Poverty in Orissa is uphealing task.