Packing batteries with more punch
Indian researchers are working on cells that can store more energy, last longer
New Delhi: Former IAS officer Aparajita Sarangi joins Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of BJP President Amit Shah, in New Delhi, Tuesday, Nov 27, 2018. (PTI Photo/Atul Yadav)(PTI11_27_2018_000016B) - AP
It took several rounds of intense discussions with her family before Aparajita Sarangi could decide to quit the IAS and take a plunge into politics. Sarangi is the BJP’s candidate for the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat. In an interview with BusinessLine, she explains why she believes that the Biju Janata Dal’s (BJD) model of governance has failed and it is time for a political change. Edited excerpts:
What made you give up IAS to join politics? How difficult was it to make the choice?
As an IAS officer, I had the best of postings in Odisha and Delhi. But after 20-25 years of service, I realised not much was left to derive from IAS. I had to begin a new journey and I thought politics would give me a bigger platform to serve the people. During my tenure as Joint Secretary for MGNREGA scheme, I toured 25 States and 450 districts. Wherever I went, Odisha was being associated with poverty. This was the tipping point. But the decision to join politics took thinking and consultations with my family.
Why did you choose the BJP?
I think Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a great leader as I have worked under him as Joint Secretary for MGNREGA. The development-oriented focus of the BJP inspired me. I was not motivated enough by the Congress. And I couldn’t have left the IAS to go to a regional party. And, I never derived inspiration from the CM (Naveen Patnaik).
Is Naveen Patnaik still popular among the poor?
No. Earlier, the people had no alternative. But now, times have changed and people want change.
Do you think the BJP has a chance of winning in Odisha, given its poor performance in the 2014 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections?
We are hopeful. There is enthusiasm across the rank and file. In the 2009-2014 period, the kind of work that should have gone into building the organisation on the ground was not done. But now, I can confidently say that from 2014, there has been a lot of focus by the party President and Prime Minister.
You have talked about industrial parks that haven’t taken off in the State and the fact that people in the mineral-rich areas are poor. How much do these issues matter to the people?
There are four major issues people understand very well — growing corruption, massive unemployment, declining growth in the manufacturing sector and the issue of women’s safety. Odisha ranks third in the country in rape and domestic violence cases.
But the State has some schemes for economic empowerment of women...
I was director of ‘Mission Shakti’ for four years from 2003. The government’s focus was to empower women and make them self-reliant through a number of micro establishments. But now, doles are being given(instead of business opportunities). Women say they don’t have much work beyond ‘badi, papad and achar’. They demand bada vyaapar (big businesses).
Can the farm sector distress be addressed by the BJP?
We need a perspective plan with a monitoring framework. We are giving farmers ₹5,000 under the KALIA scheme. I am not objecting to the scheme but its implementation. Farmers want cold storage, good seeds and fertilisers and good price for crops. We need a sustainable growth model and BJP will bring it.
For the latest on elections, click: Elections 2019
Indian researchers are working on cells that can store more energy, last longer
To fix a broken bone, doctors often harvest another bone from the patient’s body or from someone else. It ...
Superconductors from IIScScientists at IISc Bangalore have invented a device with a nanocrystal structure ...
Engineering and construction giant L&T has won a licence from the Council of Scientific & Industrial ...
Will a stock continue its current trend or will it reverse? We tell you how you can read chart patterns to ...
Sensex and Nifty 50 saw selling interest on Friday and slumped; selling pressure could continue
Investors with a long-term horizon can consider this offer
Most AMCs have been sending out cryptic e-mails. We tell you how to read between the lines
In these isolated times when people yearn for a slice of the familiar, amateur and professional chefs are ...
Forget the tuna. The island nation will keep you full and happy with coconut, koftas and jasmine
This year, on Facebook, I saw that someone had posted a list of EASY RESOLUTIONS. I didn’t copy them down but ...
With strokes of quirky humour, Partha Pratim Deb uses pulp, terracotta, glass and discarded cloth to create ...
Digital is becoming dominant media, but are companies and their ad agencies transforming fast enough to make a ...
Slow Network, promoted by journalist-lyricist Neelesh Misra, pushes rural products and experiences
How marketers can use the traditional exchange of festive wishes meaningfully
For Fortune, a brand celebrating its 20th anniversary, it was a rude shock to become the butt of social media ...
Three years after its inception, compliance with GST procedures remains a headache for exporters, job workers ...
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of companies are altering the prospects for wooden toys of ...
Aequs Aerospace to create space for large-scale manufacture of toys at Koppal
And it has every reason to smile. Covid-19 has triggered a consumer shift towards branded products as ...
Please Email the Editor