Ad blitz brags about all, missing is pet project

BHUBANESWAR: As it unleashes a flurry of self-glorifying ad blitz in the run-up to the panchayat polls, the Naveen Patnaik Government, in its haste, seems to have lost its mascot. The banner of industrialisation that the Government has flagged and fluttered for 12 long years since its ascendancy to power, proclaiming the surge of investment and development is conspicuously missing from the publicity overdrive.Even as the notification for the three-tier panchayat polls draws closer, the media is flooded with advertisements on “achievements” of the BJD Government in all these years. But not a quarter of a page nor a sub-section has been on industry. “The industry-driven economic growth surpassing the national average year after year consistently”, “Orissa tops States in investment”, etc., are nowhere to be seen.There seems to be a deliberate design to the obliteration of the industry and industrial growth considering the voters base that the panchayat polls encompass. It reveals a wariness to the backlash by the electorate which has been directly affected by the pursuit of industrialisation, leading to unending conflicts over land acquisition, displacement, rehabilitation, loss of income and livelihood along with lack of job opportunities.The bubble of industrialisation has burst. The 12 million tonne Posco project, touted as the single largest FDI in the country, continues to be flailed around with protests and violence. The other mega brands Vedanta and Arcellor Mittal have also bitten the dust. Of about Rs 4.41 lakh cr pledged for steel, power, aluminium, cement and other projects, the top three accounted for over Rs 1 lakh cr and none is coming through. The few which have set up shop are faced with an uncertain future with skyrocketing mineral prices, problems over mines lease, industrial conflict and lack of infrastructure.The industrial projects fast turning out to the face of a collective failure of the BJD Government, it has carefully chosen to exclude them from the panchayat poll propaganda. “The BJD strategists are aware that they have to woo the masses in the rural pockets and tribal hinterlands during the ensuing polls and unwilling to rub them the wrong way by drumming up the industrial projects which have caused severe displacement, loss of livelihood and law and order problems triggering strong resentment among the people,” said a political analyst.The Government has, thus, chosen the safe path, reeling out rims of propaganda on achievements in the field of infrastructure, food subsidies, welfare programmes, roads, health and drinking water, agriculture, etc.. “Here is an electorate that will be more concerned on getting rice at Rs 2 kg, subsidised pulses and essential commodities, free power, irrigation, concrete roads to their villages, IAY houses and other welfare schemes as bicycles for girls, maternity assistance etc. Why not rake these up to lure the voters than tug at the raw nerves in the name of industrialisation that has bombed in the State”, explains an analyst.So, all the departments from School and Mass Education, Agriculture, Women and Child Development, Health, and SC/ST Development, etc.. get to showcase their all-round achievements. And, the Industries and Steel and Mines Departments stand in desolate isolation.