| Since the formation of a separate state, Orissa | | | | in this type of communication is that they are |
| continues to be symbol of abysmal poverty and | | | | always using the mast powerful channel (i.e. |
| backwardness. Acute underdevelopment | | | | face-to-face communication) by which they can |
| combined with the onslaught of natural calamities | | | | get all the opportunities to convince the rural tribal |
| has made the life of the Oriya people miserable. | | | | community. Basically at the time of election, the |
| While droughts and floods are regular invaders, | | | | role of community leaders is more visible. Because |
| cyclones and super cyclones make their routine | | | | voting behaviour of the backward classes totally |
| visits, taking heavy tolls. Besides all this | | | | depends on the community leaders, who changed |
| misfortunes, nature has blessed the state minerals | | | | their voting intention during the course of the |
| to fill up the gap. Orissa is the richest state in | | | | campaign.Starting form rural development to |
| minerals.The state, two-thirds of the land surface | | | | AIDS awareness programme in the state, the |
| of which comprise pre-cambrian rocks, possesses | | | | community leaders play a crucial role in the |
| 98 per cent of the country's chromite reserves, | | | | implementation of any policy or programme in |
| 71 per cent of its bauxite, 33 per cent of its iron | | | | Orissa. Without help of this influential group, it will |
| ore and 32 per cent of its manganese resources. | | | | be very difficult for the government or any |
| Orissa has vast reservoirs of natural resources to | | | | individual group or any non-government |
| spur industrial growth and development. Its fertile | | | | organization (NGO) to enter into the locality. Then |
| land, water resources, mineral wealth, long | | | | it is the responsibility of the government to take |
| coastline and forest resources are great assets. | | | | the necessary step to convince the community |
| Still we are lagging behind to utilize the minerals | | | | leader by which they come forward to extend |
| for the development of Orissa. There are many | | | | their hand to help the government in the |
| prime causes, which are the major hurdles for | | | | development process. When we are talking about |
| socio-economic development of the state. | | | | development we cannot ignore industrialization |
| Community leaders are playing major role in | | | | because directly it boost the state economy. As |
| every step of development process and they | | | | we are rich in manpower and mineral, the |
| have the capacity to eradicate all the hurdles in | | | | government has taken the first major step to |
| the grass root level.Orissa has a population of 32 | | | | invite major global giant for utilizing the |
| million with a high percentage of scheduled tribes | | | | reddish-gery iron ore.Taking the advantages of |
| and scheduled castes, approximately 24% of the | | | | the global demand for steel, the Orissa |
| total population belonging to 62 different ethnic | | | | government has opened the door for the steel |
| communities, and are mostly backward. About | | | | giants to invest in Orissa. During the course of |
| 87% of the population lives in the villages. The | | | | time, the Biju Janata Dal-BJP alliance government |
| Oriyas dwelling in rural Orissa are happy in their | | | | signed 43 MoUs with private companies for the |
| small world. Enthusiasm and expectation are the | | | | setting up of as many greenfield steel plants. The |
| two less concerned words for them. This rural | | | | State government's Steel and Mines Department |
| people are very simple and easily captured by | | | | estimates the investment in these steel plants to |
| anyone who attach emotionally with them. | | | | the tune of Rs.1,37,157.85 crores. The areas that |
| Though they have very minimal exposure to any | | | | would witness mining of iron ore and the setting |
| media, so the community leaders act as the only | | | | up of new steel plants and captive power plants |
| source of information. They are less concerned | | | | are Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jajpur, Dhenkanal and |
| about the politics, business, media and religion. | | | | Angul districts, which are some of the most |
| They are very reluctant to accept any sort of | | | | underdeveloped districts in the State. At the |
| information, which are not directly related to their | | | | higher level, the government has completed all the |
| day-to-day life. The community leaders are playing | | | | formalities to convert Orissa into the No.1 State in |
| the role of opinion leaders and able to influence | | | | the country by quickening the pace of |
| the rural Oriyas because they are well known, | | | | industrialization. But when we consider about the |
| respected, and trusted person for them. The rural | | | | ground reality for setting up of huge steel |
| public relies upon opinion leader within their peer | | | | companies, we have taken aback because of the |
| group(s) to provide reliable information. The local | | | | obstacles came to the site at different stages. |
| leaders are used the masses as their weapon.In a | | | | The recent Kalinga Nagar firing has killed the spirit |
| state like Orissa, community leaders have a | | | | of Industrialisation. This is not a new incident for |
| strong influence. Through day-to-day personal | | | | the people of Orissa.Whenever and wherever any |
| contacts, they influence others in matters of | | | | industry plans to lay down the foundation stone, |
| decisions and opinion formation. Due to lack of | | | | the first and foremost outcome of every project |
| information on a particular issue, the backward | | | | is the same. Either they abandon the project or |
| community is not in a position to take any | | | | divert the investment amount to upgrade the |
| decision. They have always been depending on | | | | established project. Tata steel's earlier proposal to |
| community leaders to reach on any decision, | | | | set up a ten million tonne steel project at |
| which may vary from family matters to | | | | Gopalpur in Ganjam district had also run into |
| international issues. In the reverse side, the tribal | | | | trouble with police opening fire at Sindhigan in the |
| community has always opened to share all the | | | | project area on August 7, 1997. Two women had |
| information without thinking the outcome because | | | | been killed in stampede caused by the police |
| they are thinking that they are sharing personal | | | | action after which the company shelved the |
| matters to a trusted person who can help him at | | | | project. The steel project at Gopalpur in Ganjam |
| the needed time. These leaders are more aware | | | | district proposed by Tata did not take off after |
| of the requirements of the rural public.In many | | | | residents refused to move out.If you go deeply |
| case, the community leader takes this advantage | | | | into the core issue, you can find community |
| to revolt against the local administration. The | | | | leaders had conspired to create unrest in the |
| community leaders generally come form a upper | | | | industrial area. They have masterminded the |
| social, economic or occupational level and they | | | | entire process and provoked the tribal community |
| have a special respect in the community. They | | | | by meeting personally or public meeting. The |
| are more informed about political and social issues | | | | community leaders are always backed by political |
| as compared to other persons in a atmosphere | | | | parties and influenced by the political leaders. Now |
| where the local people will get fillip on the benefits | | | | time has come to think about the state. Above |
| of the industrialization. The local people can feel | | | | the personal benefits of any particular person, or |
| the breeze of industrialisation in the form of | | | | particular community or any particular party, we |
| house, healthcare, education and employment | | | | should think about the welfare of our state. This |
| facilities. Once the local tribal community convinces | | | | is the equal responsibility of government and |
| on the issue of industrialization, they will fight for | | | | every Oriya to participate in the development |
| the government. Every one knows it is a tedious | | | | process. Particularly the community leaders should |
| task but not an impossible the community. They | | | | use their third sense before forwarding any step |
| grasp information form different sources; they | | | | towards destruction, which leads the state |
| read newspapers and magazines; they watch the | | | | backward direction. Day by day our position |
| coverage of different issues relating to their | | | | become worsen in every aspect of life. When |
| society, nation etc. by the broadcast media.When | | | | government is planning to take any step for the |
| they exchanged the information to their follower, | | | | welfare of the state, it is better to support and |
| they are always diluted the original message with | | | | abolish all the hurdles in the way to development. |
| his personal views. And the most important part | | | | |