The
itinerary taken for our Bharat Darshan included the following states:
Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Orissa, Andaman & Nicobar,
Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Our
first visit- was Chatten, Sikkim where we had our Army attachment. The
attachment was great learning encounter for all. It gave a firsthand experience
of the arduous conditions under which the troops work. The visits to the diverse
divisions and regiments gave an insight into their organization, modes of
operation and other related activities. The interactions with various officials
made us realize how important it is for the civilian and defense administration
to work in tandem for having safe and secure borders. Another important
learning was the poor state of infrastructure which hampers the smooth flow of
food supplies, materials and personnel. The terrain makes it testing to have an
efficient infrastructure but the neighbor across the border, China, has made
huge treads in this area. Therefore a serious and focused effort is needed from
our side too to handle infrastructure log jams. Here again, the harmonization between
civilian and defense establishments is of critical importance.
Our
next destination of our tour was Darjeeling where we had our attachment with
the District Collector. The interface with the Collector gave insights into
working within the system, how to co-ordinate with the various functionaries in
the district and current issues prevalent in the hill district. The contemporary
demands of Gorkhaland in the area was discussed and the various means through
which the Government handles the situation where talked about. The importance
of co-ordination was underscored and how to keep track of the focus areas
especially in an emergency mode was particularly highlighted.
The
stopover to Guwahati was primarily on urban administration and getting a
perspective of NGO effectiveness. The visits to various urban sites where
various schemes were being implemented like the JNNURM etc gave an
understanding of the issues that are involved in implementation. Case in point,
the construction of flats for the urban poor involved relocation of the slum
dwellers to a different area but the long impediments in construction was of
particular concern for the people. The visit to the solid waste disposal site
gave an insight into the processes involved in solid waste disposal and
administration. Later on, the interactions with the Municipal Commissioner
threw more light on the challenges faced in the administration of an urban zone.
The visit to Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Nidhi gave a perspective into the good work
done by the NGO segment. For example, RGVN’s primary area of operation was to
refinance the NGO’s operations in various streams. The visits to various field
sites gave a practical experience into the training and capacity building
activities that are taken up byte NGO.
The
stay at the Kaziranga National Park was a combination of both fun and knowledge.
The Park is famous for the One-horned Rhinoceros. The interaction with the
Forest officials made us realize the threats of poaching, smuggling and such
other activities that the administration has to face in the region. In this
regard also, the co-ordination between the forest and district administration
is important to tackle the menace of plunder. Another important learning has
been that the villagers shared very good rapport with the administration that
helped in saving and conserving the wild life.
The
visit to Jorhat was primarily centered on Island and Tribal administrations.
The visit to Majuli made us realize how the administration was in most of the
times fire fighting mode because of natural calamities like deluge. In this respect,
one positive aspect has been that, since floods were annual phenomenon, the
villagers had adapted by building houses and having crop cultivation cycles
that was in tune with the necessities. The visit to satras and witnessing of
some ancient dance forms were also a great learning encounter. The visit to
tribal villages enhanced our understanding of the tribal lifestyles and customs.
Their social, political and economic practices were definitely different from
the mainstream and hence the idea of respecting their identity is beyond any
question. The tribal council headed by the Chairman gave a briefing on the
management of the villages.
The
insurgency attachment in Imphal was extremely enlightening and enlightening.
The attachment with Inspector General Assam Rifles gave a thorough picture on
the complex nature of the crisis. There are more than 20 insurgent groups and
each have their own set of demands with little or no overlap among them. The
assessment of the problem and the ways in which it is currently being tackled
was explained in a very detailed manner in the discourse.
The
attachment in Andaman and Nicobar Islands gave an understanding on the
administration of an isle. The visits to Ross Island and Havelock islands
underscored the importance of tourism in the region. The maintenance of roads
and parks were particularly impressive with clean and systematic surroundings.
The
visit to the Hindustan Motors Plant in Kolkata was to get an understanding of
the functioning of Private sector. The visits to the various units of the plant
helped us understand the different processes involved in the manufacturing of
the Ambassador cars. The way forward for the car, especially in the competitive
environment, is however a cause of concern unless there are some major
innovations on the car. The Science City in Kolkata was impressive with its
infrastructure and wealth of information.
The
trip to Orissa included visits to Puri and Bhubaneshwar. The interaction with
the Collector of Puri and Khordha districts gave us a perspective on the
administration, especially with special focus on temple management. The complex
nature of administering temples was highlighted during the course of our
conference. In addition to this, the management of Chilika Lake and its special
significance was also touched upon in the interface.
The
next halt was Visakhapatnam for our naval attachment. The attachment consisted
of visits to the various Ships and Submarines in the naval base. It also had
interactions with the senior officials of the Eastern Naval Command. The
various areas covered included Organization and hierarchy of the Navy, its
strengths, the threat perceptions that exist and the various activities that it
undertakes routinely. The visit to the Submarine training school was of
particular importance as it made us realize how difficult it is to be away in
the Sea for months together in closed settings. The archetype of the nuclear
capable Arihant submarine was also stationed at Vizag but we couldn’t see it due
to security rationale. The mock drills that were conducted like Search and
Rescue, firing on mobile targets, intercepting fast moving boats etc gave us a
firsthand demonstration on the capabilities of the Navy.
The
visits to NALCO and Vizag Steel Plant gave us an opportunity to understand the
working of Public Sector Undertakings. Both the companies were doing
exceptionally well in their fields and we could get a good understanding on the
business of operation, products manufactured, vision, best practices and CSR
activities that are conducted by them. The diversification and innovation strategies
are helping these companies to fight in a competitive environment.
The
last leg of our tour was a visit to Jhansi to get a perspective on the Indian
Grassland and Forest Research Institute and its operations. The visits to the
field were very important in improving our understanding of the operations and
the processes.
Written by Suhas and Sridhar. Photos by Sameeran.
