Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik scores a point over his counterpart and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, when it comes to take learning lessons from experience and taking action in addressing the issues bothering the State.
Is it the neighbouring Odisha racing ahead than Andhra Pradesh? The answer in precise is ‘Yes’. The Andhra Pradesh government might be patting itself of showcasing a World Bank’s Report of ranking second in “Ease of Doing Business’. This may be useful to garner support, firming up new relationships and to attract investments.
But, when it comes to addressing the basic issues bothering the State and people the State is learning lesions from Odisha. When Odisha was hit with a killing cyclone during the earlier stint of the present Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in United Andhra Pradesh, it was he who had gone all out in helping out and launching relief and rescue operations of people living in district of Odisha, bordering Andhra Pradesh.
But, to the shock to the Chief Minister, during the Hud Hud cyclone that battered Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam he had to request his counter party and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to come to his rescue, by sending his men and material to restore road network, power supply and the like.
A micro analysis of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management department pointed out that the Odisha had learned the lessons, and overhauled its Disaster Management Mechanism. Now, After Gujarat, it was Odisha which is having one of the best ways of quickly responding to the emergencies like natural calamities. Taking a leaf from Gujarat and Odisha, now Andhra Pradesh is trying to come up with its own State Disaster Response Force on the lines of National Disaster Response Force Model.
A proposal to revamp and scrap the redundant laws announced by Andhra Pradesh is yet to take off. And, the law ministry portfolio is held by Naidu himself for which there is no full-time secretary. It is being run on an additional charge given to a senior IAS officer from the animal husbandry department.
Once again, scoring a point over his counter party, Biju Janta Dal Government in Odisha headed by Naveen Patnaik has come up with appointing a Law Commission, exactly to do what the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister announced to do 15-months ago.
On several forums, the issue of simplifying laws are recommended, so as to create a conduce environs to attract investments, and also it makes easy for the people to get a speedy justice delivery system. But, it seems it is Naveen who is scoring in the Easy of Doing Business with people than Naidu!
