• You have been getting consistently elected to the assembly since 1990 except in 2009. But for the first time you have got a cabinet berth. Do you think it has come a bit late?

It’s the prerogative of the chief minister to pick up in his ministry. He will also decide at which time an MLA should be elevated to the rank of a minister. Others should not poke their nose into it.

• A.U. Singh Deo, your party comrade from your home district Balangir, has gone to the Rajya Sabha. Perhaps it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for you. You have finally got a chance to be included in the ministry.

You may say that. My leader this time considered me to be the most suitable person to represent the district in his ministry. He must have checked my background before inducting me in his ministry.

• You have been in the ministry for the last one and a half years. What’s your vision for your department? 

As the state government has already made it clear that it is entering second phase of industrialisation, we are committed to develop the small and micro units. The chief minister has already visited Mumbai and invited the industrial houses to invest in Odisha. They have committed to invest around Rs 70,000 crore in the state. I am also going to Mumbai this week to meet three top industrialists. I am hopeful that we will be able to convince them to invest in Odisha in the MSME sector. We will come up with a number of corridors in places such as Paradip, Angul and Rourkela to promote the small-scale industrial units. We are in touch with the Centre to ensure how Odisha can benefit from the Make In India skill programme.

• An oil refinery has already come up in Paradip. What other industries are you planning there? 

In association with the Paradip Port Trust, we propose to promote a wood-based industries cluster there. Timber from Malaysia will come straight to Paradip. Using that wood, we will establish a small-scale industrial unit in the wood sector. Nearly Rs 100 crore will be invested here. It should click. You see the table and chairs in my chamber are from Sri Lanka. If they are able to dominate the market, why should not we? We have already launched Odisha youth innovation award through which we are encouraging young entrepreneurs to come up with new ideas. We will provide them with cash incentive to start their business. For the first time, the department has launched the online registration system to help entrepreneurs set up their units.

• But the response has been poor so far… 

I admit it. Only 40 applications had been received. After scrutiny, we finalised 22 proposals and we gave cash awards to the budding entrepreneurs.

• Most of the small-scale units have shut down. Various survey reports have also pointed this out.

Yes. But we should analyse the reasons behind the closure. Recession has affected the market to a great extent. Besides, there is a shortage of raw materials to run such industries. Moreover, the banks in the state are not coming forward to support the young entrepreneurs. Sometimes the banks demand so many documents that the young entrepreneurs fail to furnish them and eventually feel demoralised. I have already raised the issue with the bankers at the highest level. The government has also issued instructions to them to extend the required credit support to the young entrepreneurs.

• Have you found out any other factors that have hit the small sector units? 

Chinese products have flooded the market and it has made a severe impact on the Odisha’s small-scale industries. The Centre should think what could be done to check it. But above everything people should give their best or else they cannot succeed. I had been to China and noticed how the youths there were committed to their work.

• Young entrepreneurs need funds to set up industries. Do you have any plans to revive the public sector, Odisha State Finance Corporation (OSFC), which played a catalyst’s role in industrialisation in the eighties? 

We do have a plan to revive the OSFC. We are expecting Rs 50 crore from the state budget this year for this. The OSFC incurred a heavy loss as the people who had taken loans and did not repay. Now, we have a liability of Rs 3,000 crore. But all must remember that nobody can run away with government money. We will certainly catch them and bring back the money. Of course, we will introduce the one time settlement (OTS) scheme so that defaulters get an easier option to repay their loans.

• But the state government should intervene to see that these small units become viable by providing the market linkage to them. 

Yes, we have been trying hard on this front. We have already told the public sector units such as National Aluminium Company (Nalco), Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and other industrial houses that they should support the ancillary and downstream units. I had told the Nalco chief that winning awards by his organisation would not solve our problem. They should come forward and support the small sector. Besides, we had asked the Tatas, who have commissioned their steel plant at Kalinga Nagar, to support us. But a major problem has cropped up with the Tatas.

• What’s the problem? They have already set up a steel plant in the state. 

Earlier, we used to sell iron rods produced by Tata Steel through the Odisha Small Industries Corporation (OSIC). This week they said that they wanted to remove OSIC from April and award the contacts to a private agency. We are disappointed with their decision and have told them that it was unacceptable. They are dealing with the government. As they are enjoying all sorts of concessions from the Odisha government, they should not treat the government agency like a private firm. If they withdraw, a large number of workers in the OSIC will be rendered unemployed. I am going to Mumbai and will meet the Tata group chairman Cyrus Mistry and sort out the problem. They should not forget that because of Odisha’s support, the Tata Steel Plant in Jamshedpur has been a success. If they still don’t relent, we may move court on this issue.

• You may run into trouble as you are taking sich a stand against a big corporate house. 

The chief minister has entrusted me with a job, which I want to do for the benefit of the four crore people of the state. If any thing comes in the way, I will try to sort it out. If by doing this, I lose my job I don’t care. I have already been an MLA for more than 20 years. What more do I need?

• Many stalwarts, including former chief minister R.N. Singh Deo, leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra, are from Balangir. All the political parties are battling to control the politics in the district.

There are five Assembly seats in the district. We have won three and lost two. While one seat was grabbed by the Congress, the other one was retained by BJP. But the leadership should not be blamed for this. I believe that it was the failure of our party candidate to retain the Balangir seat. However, the case of Patnagarh was different. It went to BJP as there was royal factor attached to it. K.V. Singh Deo is from the erstwhile royal family of Patnagarh and he has been in constant touch with the constituency. So, it had been a tough task to dislodge him.

• Do the royal families continue to wield influence in the area? 

Times have changed. We became independenct 68 years ago. The people’s mindset has changed. The influence of royals on the common man has been reduced to a great extent. But, they still enjoy clout in some pockets.

• Even if a number of stalwarts have come from west Odisha, the government is yet to shift the headquarters of the Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) from Bhubaneswar.

The chief minister has agreed that the headquarters should be located anywhere in west Odisha, but the leaders from these areas have failed to reach a consensus as to where it should be located. Leaders from 11 districts, which constitute the WODC, are demanding that the headquarters be located in their respective area. As there is a lack of unanimity, the government is unable to reach a decision. 

• There is a demand for Koshal state being carved out from areas of western Odisha? What’s your view? 

Odisha is one and we are proud of it. This is the land of Lord Jagannath. We should not allow it to be torn apart. I am not in support of Koshal state. But democracy has given the people the right to organise protests and agitations. 

• You have worked with both Biju and Naveen. What is the difference between the two leaders?

Biju babu was a dynamic and visionary leader whereas Naveen babu is the tallest leader of the state. He sincerely wants to change the face of the state and is making efforts to translate Biju babu’s dreams into reality.

• You have two sons and five daughters. Do any of them have plans to join politics?

They can decide what they want to do. I do not want to enforce my decision. When I joined politics, nobody was there to support me. I found my place on my own. 

Scribe-politician

• Behera, 74, was a journalist and worked for a leading vernacular paper for 10 years
• He joined politics in 1990
• An undergraduate, he maintains a low profile and speaks from his heart
• He has always identifying himself as a follower of former chief ministers late R.N. Singh Deo and Biju Patnaik, has been able to maintain a clean image so far

What would you have been if not a politician?

My father was a sarpanch. He dreamt that I be a people’s representative. I am happy that I have been able to fulfil his dream.