Odisha@100 explores Odisha’s transformation from poverty and vulnerability to economic and governance progress, while highlighting challenges that remain. It looks ahead to 2036, examining policy lessons and the path towards inclusive and sustainable development
Amarendra Das, Keshab Das, Deepak K. Mishra, Udaya S. Mishra
Book Title: Trajectories of Development: Odisha@100
Editors: Amarendra Das, Keshab Das, Deepak K. Mishra, Udaya S. Mishra
Publisher: Routledge
Even before the formal formation of the eastern Indian state of Odisha (Orissa, between 1936 and 2011) as a subnational entity within the Indian federal structure, it endured the burden of the ignominious adage of being a rich state with poor people. Extreme poverty, including starvation deaths in certain parts of the state, attracted global attention, embarrassing its people and claims of good governance. Slowly, but steadily, around the turn of this century, this entrenched popular impression took a beating as the state’s economic development parameters started showing a positive turnaround – relative ranking in terms of per capita income improved, the devil of devastating natural calamities was taken by the horns, public health facilities improved, the pandemic and its aftermath were largely handled with alacrity and efficiency, and the management of public finance was an enviable feat.
While Odisha appeared to have done commendably in several sectors/subsectors/activities and also in some regions, the deep scars of poverty, malnutrition, distress migration, unabated exploitation of natural resources, and unemployment have stayed on. As economists – scholars, teachers, policymakers, and development practitioners – it was important to take stock of the changes – some, admittedly, transformative – to learn and unlearn policy lessons in possibilities for prosperity for all. The easily identifiable milestone lay not far away – 2036, the year by which Odisha would have emerged young, dynamic, and forward-looking at 100! Odisha would set an example by policy praxis – poverty to prosperity.
This volume owes its birth to the initial churning by the editors at a private online meeting about whether we needed to bring together close observers of these changes in the state’s fate to decipher the past, understand the current/recent surprises, and delineate plausible policy paths. The hundred years (1936 to 2036) are only a halo; performances, progress, and pitfalls are the stark lessons for the future generation of the state and any other developing or poor country, region, or a subnational sovereign entity anywhere in the world.
In order to render this exercise comprehensive, we have cobbled/laced/woven apparently diverse sectors, subsectors, and policy spheres together to get a ringside view of the policy processes.
While individual chapters retain their originality of analysis – as authors were not obliged to follow a standard format – the overall concerns have been shared by all. Rounds of intense discussions amongst authors and external experts before writing and during draft stages have reinforced the objectivity and relevance of every chapter.
We sincerely hope that this unique volume acts as a comprehensive reference text for those engaged in policymaking, teaching, conducting research, and activism, and, above all, for young minds who are striving to understand processes of governance, make sense of official statistics, and raise concerns broadly about the development of a diverse society with uneven access to resources and rights.
(Extracted Preface from the book ‘Trajectories of Development – Odisha@100’, published by Routledge/UK with permission from the publisher. This book is a product of the Odisha Economic Association. The contributors to the volume teach at various institutes. Views expressed are personal.)