Bhubaneswar: Following the call given by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for transformation in governance, the state machinery is in mission mode and in the last few days we have seen how governance has reached out to the grass roots level in Odisha.
Though the state government has successfully brought development to the masses in the last two decades, Naveen has again called for total transformation with his 5-T Mantra and Mo Sarkar being an important component of it.
People are the real masters in Odisha and the government is here to serve them. All initiatives are intended to benefit the common man. And to bring in a government that is nearer to the people, the way of governance needs to be changed.
The administration needs to be on ground to bring in the much needed change.
As part of the feedback system under Mo Sarkar, higher officials of the state government are making visits to the ground.
Particularly, the man behind the 5-T initiative, V K Pandian is visiting the various service delivery institutions of the state to have an on the ground experience of the system. The Chief Minister has entrusted the able leadership of Pandian to lead the change. And the way Pandian is taking up the process has brought laurels not only for him but also for the government.
The successful bureaucrat is leading a change with a difference. The difference being his simplicity and the way he chooses to be nearer to the common people. During his visit to the Boudh District Hospital, he paid a surprise visit to the Aahaar Kendra to have his lunch and mingled with common people. Again, during his visit to the Keonjhar District Hospital, he went to an Orphanage to have his lunch. Though we can say he went there to have his lunch, but the purpose was different. He wanted to be with the common people. This is the transformation the leadership wants. There is no master larger than the common people.
There were times when official visits of the high ranking officers to districts used to be of less work and more lavish arrangements. The people were still away from the government due to the demarcation made by the lavish arrangements. There were special arrangements for food and accommodation. All this were arranged at the cost of people’s money. But the aim of reaching out to the common people was never successful. But all this is going to be obsolete now.
The initiative taken by the 5-T Secretary to avoid lavish arrangements for his visits is surprising to many but this is what required bringing in the transformation. This is going to have an impact on others to follow his line.
There are separate aspects to food being necessary to humans – one being the component to reducing hunger and the other to become closer to others. While having food with others brings people closer, it also helps bringing in a positive change. Having lunch in Aahaar Kendra and the Orphanage are aimed at making an attachment with the common people.
Also, it reflects the simplicity that is followed and advised by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. No doubt, this is going to strengthen the relationship between the common people and the government. There will not be any difference between the governed and government.