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Over the years, there has been a steady decline in the utilisation of central government funds by the state government. In 2007, the percentage of funds utilised was 77.51. It came down to 74.36 in 2008, 67.31 in 2009 and 64.21 in 2010. Is this not lack of efficiency on the government’s part?
No. There are various reasons why the funds could not be utilised. Sometimes, it comes at the end of the year or is sent in two or three instalments. Sometimes, the fund use is delayed due to legal hurdles to the projects. All departments have been asked to furnish their utilisation certificates by the year end.
Only a handful of ministers are seen at the secretariat these days. Many think this is because the ministers feel they are being dominated by their respective department secretaries. Do you agree with this?
lScams after scams are unfolding in Odisha, which has left the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) red-faced. The president of the party’s Tirtol unit in Jagatsinghpur, Ashwini Kumar Das, arrested by vigilance sleuths on charges of forgery and duping, was suspended from the party. Though this is the first time that a ruling party functionary has been caught red-handed, this could be the tip of the iceberg.
The media is labelling everything as a scam. You cannot call the BJD corrupt just because of characters like Ashwini Das. He is just a common man. Odisha has the most transparent government in the country.
Do you mean to say that the BJD is a corruption-free party?
It would be foolish to say that we are free from corruption. Corruption is bound to exist at some level of the administration but Odisha is better off than most other states.
Do you get along well with BJD second in-command and Parliamentarian Pyari Mohan Mohapatra?
I get along well with everyone. I am not an ambitious man. I wanted to become a politician and I am happy with where I am today. When you become too ambitious, obviously, there will be conflict of interests. I am a disciplined party worker and try to discharge my duties with utmost sincerity.
There is a perception that it is Pyari and not Naveen who runs the state. Even during the cabinet reshuffle in May, the MLAs, who owed allegiance to Pyari, became ministers. Do you feel one has to be in his good books to get a cabinet berth?
Such an atmosphere has been created but Naveen babu is free to take advice from anyone he likes. A leader might not be an expert on everything so he has to have a panel of advisors. He has also taken my advice in a few cases.
Is it true that you are grooming your son Priti Ranjan as your political successor?
He is an independent-minded person. It was his own decision to enter politics and he will carve out his own path. You would be surprised to know that he had not seen my chamber at the secretariat until recently.
It was Naveen babu’s decision to give him a party ticket. I have never lobbied for my son.
You had a kidney transplant surgery in Singapore last March and had to stay there for three months for observation, tests and monitoring. Being the finance minister, you shoulder a lot of responsibilities. Do you feel burdened with the work since you are recuperating from the surgery?
I went to Singapore for treatment but that did not mean that I had shut myself off from official work or state politics. I kept abreast of all that was happening in the state.
So, staying in a foreign country did not make any difference to me. Now, it's been almost six months since I came back and I am perfectly healthy.
Do you have to go for regular check-ups now?
Not really. I discovered that I had gout and I took more painkillers than prescribed. That caused damage to my kidney. But now the transplant has taken care of the ailments.
lWho donated the kidney to you? How much did you pay the donor?
A. The person who donated his kidney to me, is very close to me and my family and took no money. I have known him for the past 40 years.
Veteran leader
Witty, tactful and sociable, Prafulla Chandra Ghadei is the finance minister of Odisha and a vice-president of the BJD. The 70-year-old politician started his career as a trade unionist in the Sukinda mining area of Jajpur district.
Ghadei holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the M.S. Law College in Cuttack and a master’s degree in political science from Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. He was elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly while he was studying. Even during his college days, he took active part in students’ movements and politics. He was the president of M.S. Law College students’ union, general secretary of Utkal University, president of the All Utkal Students’ Federation.
Ghadei, who is into in his seventh term as an MLA, was out of action earlier this year because he was in Singapore to have a kidney transplant surgery. He returned to the state in mid-June.
Soon after, he found himself in the midst of a controversy after Orissa High Court rejected his plea seeking rejection of the petition challenging his win from the Sukinda Assembly constituency over two years ago. The petition had been filed by former minister and senior Congress leader Sarat Rout, following which the court had issued a notice to Ghadei who had contested from the Sukinda seat. However, Ghadei said since there was no proof as required in an election petition, there was no case for action.
What would you have been Had you not been a politician?
I was a law student and would have probably become a lawyer. I was elected to the state legislative Assembly while I was studying at M.S. Law College, Cuttack. However, I was always fascinated by politics as a child. My father was a freedom fighter. I used to actively participate in students’ politics. I was the president of my college union. I was also the general secretary of Utkal University, Bhubaneswar and president of the All Utkal Students’ Federation. I always had a Leftist leaning. Even if I had opted for legal practice, I would have ultimately joined the Communist Party of India.
