I am not a professional writer, before typing the first word there was lot of brainstorming in my mind whether should I write this or not.
At this point of time I am not sure to whom should I approach to send my voice to the people of Bihar and Mr. Nitish Kumar government.
I am a software engineer working in Liverpool (UK) but born and brought in a village called Koiriyan which is situated in Dinara block of Rohtas district.
As other Biharies I also forced to migrate to other state for livelihood as my own state failed to do so but I don’t have any complain about this.
The purpose of writing this letter to share the real development has happened so far in our constituency (this is not the only case of my village).
After becoming independent after more that 63+ years we are still struggling for the basic amenities like road and hospital.
I used to go my village once in a year with family during the occasion of HOLI.
I do remember the word when I called to my PAPA in the month of August and ask PAPA I want to come on the occasion of RAKSHA BANDAHN and he told me not to come as it’s a rainy season.
You should must have a question in your mind what it the relation between rainy season and coming to the village.
Coming back to answer this the distance of my village from the main road (Concrete road) is 9 KMs. We can only use vehicle during month of February to month of mid-June. Apart from these months we used to reach main road (9 KM) by carrying our stuff’s on head, holding our shoes/slipper in our hand.
Most pathetic if someone is ill we use COT as a transport medium which four men hold the corner from each side and complete the 9 KM distance in 4-5 hours in rainy season.
If any lady in a labour pain, she has to birth her baby in a village and family members pray to the God for the safety of both (as there is no hospitals available before 15 KM) .
We did cast our vote almost too every party and did hope at least this party or person will make the things joy able for us.
My question is to the current government who has announced in his manifesto that we will take care of those people who are standing in a last row (poorest of poor).
We had not any hope during the LALOO era, but we did hope during Mr. Nitish Kumar first tenure but nothing has happened. We again shown our faith to the same government and hoped that this time we will get the concrete road.
Now it seems that all rays of hope are sinking, is this our mistake that we did dream something which could not be fulfilling by government?
Could this happen when shall I call to my PAPA and he says yes you can come to your village any time?
Road is a basic things for which we are begging this from the government for 63+ years.
We are not too demanding JUST A CONCRETE ROAD FOR US.
Janmejay Thakur
Liverpool, UK
The views expressed by the author are personal.
comments...
I have been out of India for more than 44 years, and still visit Patna every year practically. I went to Patna even during the Laloo years.
I tend to think that going back to Bihar and living there may not be the best way rather contributing towards the cause of development of Bihar is more important.
I spent my sabbatical years in India including some time at Patna (A. N. Sinha Institute) and had good idea there from various researchers at the Institute about Bihar’s development.
I differed from most of them who were emphasizing essentially agricultural output as the main course to be taken. I mentioned that besides agriculture - Industrialization of Bihar and Investment of any kind - Foreign and Indian - in Bihar. At that time in 1991 - Bihar was not split. Still I thought that to create employment - industrialization was the way. All the advanced countries had adopted this model. The details of my ideas can be seen at:
http://www.engr.mun.ca/~asharan/bihar/BIHAR_1991.pdf
In this paper, I did emphasize the capital (Biharee Capital) which was being drained or pumped out of Bihar (credit/deposit ratio at the banks). If somehow, by shaping Bank's Policies which would be responsive or sensitive to Bihar's needs - the first of several requirements will be fulfilled.
The second was the infrastructural development - roads, faxes, phones, power.
The third was the market. Bihar was and is the dumping ground for most of the manufacturing industries in India where Bihar does not manufacture much.
The fourth is appropriate technology suitable for manufacturing ability of Biharees. We all have to agree that overall entrepreneurship is not the most abundant talent amongst Biharees who have entered business based on caste lines - so far. It is changing now but not to the extent as it is amongst the Gujratis , Marwaris, or Punjabis. We have to learn from these communities.
The present model of development of India is obviously defective where the development is taking place only in few states where Biharees have to migrate to find jobs and then get beaten up by Shiva Sainiks. Just blaming them is not good enough.
The issue is fairly complex and the solution is not that simple.
Anand M. Sharan
---------------------------------------------------
Like your village, there may be hundreds of such villages that will not have
concrete road in Bihar. As I had mentioned in my previous mail, its not easy to
develop entire Bihar in five Years. Dont feel neglected, when i go to my
village, I also feel like no development has been done. I am from Mithilanchal
region and Mithilanchal is still the most backward region of Bihar, which has
been at times acknowledged even by Nitish kumar.
Now let me put few of my perspectives here -
1. Like i had informed about Gyanesh Pandey and his Rice Husk power systems,
there are at least 5 such social entrepreneurial initiatives going on in Bihar.
Check out - http://www.pickme-clickme-educateme.org. I have personally met this
guy (Kshitiz Anand).
2. The National Highways and State Highways, for which work is going on is
scheduled to be finished by the end of this year. After this happens, Bihar will
have the best connectivity in India. Even smaller states wont have such a nice
connectivity. One can go from any part of Bihar to any other part of the same
state in at the most 6 hours --- thats true, i have seen this development in my
last visit to Bihar. And i can really bet, no other state of India can even come
closer to this development.
3. This completion of Road Infrastructure will then fuel the growth of Bihar to
such an extent that rest of India could not have even imagined, even Biharis may
not have imagined. Even without the help of Government, people will see the
growth.
4. One of the incidences that i will tell about the issue of Concrete road as
mentioned by Thakur ji --- In one of the Mithila villages, flood used to be very
rampant every year... Last year, people of that village came forward and created
a Canal within 2 months. This has ensured that they will be less prone to flood
now and the canal water is used for farming. And dont forget, this was done by
the poor people of the village, who can not boast of a co-villager living in UK
and working as software engineer.
5. What I will suggest to Janmaye ji and his villagers --- to create a Canal
with the help of Panchayat people and also involving the BDO of the block, then
move ahead for a Concrete Road..There is a grievances cell in Bihar Government
(which was created last month), where all the issues are handled in a call
centric type and redressed quickly...probably supervised by Nitish himself or
his team of those 7-8 of his trusted IAS officers.
And also let me know, if i can be of any help. Though, I stay in Bangalore, i
feel after a year or so, i must try to go back to Bihar.
Amit
-----------------------------------------
I am totally agree with Mr. Janmejay because I am also native of the same village and long back I have sent mail to the Bihar government and governor of Bihar. Still there is no any action has taken by government. We have faith and keep faith for last 5 years but still we are at same place.
THAKUR, RABIKANT
_________________________________________
Dear Janmejay,
In my view development happens in a state due to its core value, irrespective of the political party in power. Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are ruled by the political parties, BJP and DMK, having entirely different ideologies. But these are two most dynamic states in the country.
I also don't believe migration from state is a sign of backwardness. Kerala probably experienced most migration. But it is the most developed state in the country.
Now l will be blunt. People like you and me are the fortunate ones to get education in largely illiterate Bihar. A lot is expected from us. Not the other round. We should not expect red carpet when we visit home.
Visit huskpowersystems.com, as Amit suggested. This is a good example how we can contribute.
Rajesh
United States
-------------------------------------------------------
Dear Janmejay ji,
Your demand is very genuine and democratic. I sympathize with you and your village entirely. However, I feel that you and your village should raise the voice in the highest pitch to the MLA and MP of your area. You have selected them to develop your village. So, please do that and don’t lose faith in the Nitish Government. This government is committed to do grand development of Bihar.
On our Individual front, we can also contribute to the society. Just have a look at this website – huskpowersystems.com. An initiative taken by Gyanesh Pandey which is a big success in the remote areas of Bihar. I am also trying to get involved in this initiative.
Have Faith in this Government and on our Society, we will soon be a developed and evolved society. J
Amit
----------------------------------------------
It is unfortunate that Thakur's village is still not connected. Can his letter or appeal be forwarded to the transport minister? It might be because the village men are not taking it up with their legislator or even may be objecting it.
Indra R. Sharma
| 
