Dynamics of Socio-Political Development in Odisha

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The State of Odisha has progressed in all spheres in comparison to the past. The social and political development of Odisha is a model for other states. The international organizations and agencies praised the role of Odisha in facing natural disasters and management of natural crises. In this background, this work is an attempt to focus on different aspects of social and political development of Odisha. Several significant wide-ranging issues like women's emancipation, good governance, sustainable development, COVID issue, welfare of tribes, panchayati raj system, rehabilitation is addressed in this book. We are sure that this volume containing the research articles of a group of contributors who have done excellent work in the different dimensions of social and political development of Odisha will meet the expectations of readers.

PROF NAROTTAM GAAN (b.1955) Professor and former Head, Department of Political Science and Human Rights, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (Central University). Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, India. He is an eminent and widely acclaimed scholar in Political Science and International Studies and having 42 years of teaching experiences. He has published more than 100 research papers in International and national peer reviewed journals of high repute and written 21 books. He was the recipient of Austrian Government Fellowship and he has been adorned with Ambassador of Peace Award by Universal Peace Foundation, South Korea on 10th September 2014.

DR. SUMANT KUMAR SWAIN(b.1977) is a Deputy Director of Eurasian Foundation and Executive Editor of Eurasian Report, New Delhi, India. He is a faculty at International Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR), New Delhi, India. Dr. Swain has awarded PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. He was a visiting scholar (2007, 2010) to Institute of Oriental Studies under Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia under Indo-Russian Cultural Exchange Program by Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi, India. He has published one book, eight edited books and many research papers in different disciplines.

DR. DIPAK KUMAR DASH (b.1979) is working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science, Christ College (1944), Cuttack, Odisha. He has awarded Ph.D. from Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, Odisha and completed M. Phil, PGJMC and MJMC. He has membership in various associations related to academics like OPSA Centre for Third Voice Studies and Journal of Research and Innovations in Social Sciences. He is in the Editorial Board of the journal Third Voice: Reality and Vision and Journal of Research and Innovations in Social Sciences. He is the author of seventeen textbooks, one reference book, one edited book and seven chapters in edited books.

DR MAMATA KHANDAYATRAY (b.1986) is working as Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Political Science, Paradip O College, Paradip, Odisha. She has completed her MA and M.Phil from Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, Odisha. She did her PGJMC and MBA from IGNOU. She completed her Ph.D from Utkal University, BBSR, Odisha. She has membership in various associations related to academics. To her credit, she has contributed several research papers in journals and books of high acclaim.

Odisha is a land of culture and heritage. Its history not only speaks the multicultural aspect of human society but also highlights the story of our country. It is famous for Lord Jagarnath. The car festival popularly known as Ratha Yatra is spreading the message that the whole humanity is one irrespective of caste, colour, and sex. The famous Bali Yatra of the millennium city of Cuttack speaks about the diplomatic and business activities of Odias-the people of Odisha. Now the Government of India has also recognised the Paika Rebellion as the first war of independence against mighty British rule. Now, the social and political development of Odisha is a model for other states. The international organizations and agencies praised the role of our state in facing natural disasters. In this background, this work is an attempt to focus on different aspects of social and political development of Odisha. A number of significant wide ranging issues like women's emancipation, good governance, sustainable development, COVID issue, welfare of tribes, panchayatiraj system, rehabilitation are present in Odisha. Many works are done in these fields, but the result is far away from the reality. This attracted our attention and stimulation us to edit a volume containing the research articles of a group of contributors who have done excellent work in the different dimension of social and political development of Odisha.

In his article "Good Governance Initiatives: A Study of Odisha Santosh Kumar Sahu has highlighted the meaning and nature of good governance. He sincerely focused how the good governance leads transparency and accountability in administration.

The present volume entitled The Dynamics of Socio- Political Development in Odisha brilliantly exhibits a cross disciplinary inquiry and analysis by a group of outstanding scholars from different faculties of social science. It deals with transformation precipitated by the contemporary social stratification and system of governance within the state of Odisha In common parlance, Socio-political dynamics has lent itself to be understood as the working process of all the major institutions, their relation and interaction among them within a political system that delineates the overall development of a state. It always presumes a change in a socio-political system Change in one variable leads to a corresponding change in one or more variables Increase in the level of education would lead to an increase in the level of socio-economic condition and rational behavior of the people of a particular state. Besides, there is a growing interest in the study of different institutions of the states corroborating political social and economic interaction in the field of social science. Political scientists are hard-pressed to settle issues of effective decision- making vis-a-vis the necessary constraints on arbitrary exercise of power Social scientists study the network that constitutes the structure of social interactions and norms that governs their functions. In fact in the process of doing it they set a conceptual framework to map and benchmark the diversities of the institutions and their change over the time.

As a matter of fact development index should not be understood merely in economic and material terms. It also cannot be confined to mere availability of food clothing shelter (Rob Kapda and Makan). The definition of development has been reformulated to include empowerment the advancement of creative potentiality of people expanding the range of people's choice and minimization of dependence, poverty and unemployment. It also includes freedom of expression, equity and fairness ensuring civil and political rights.

The present Volume strives to undertake an inquiry into the trajectories of the institutional changes over the years in the state of Odisha involving issues related to Good Governance, Sustainable development, Empowerment of women, Status of Tribal Women and their Education, Resource Conflict, Gender Discrimination, Poverty, Displacement and rehabilitation etc. Here endeavours have been made to identify the critical junctures and examine the role of public policy in shaping these changes and to identify the factors that are responsible for Odisha's position as being tagged as the underdeveloped state in the country despite the rich availability of resources like minerals, forests, large sea coast, tourism and human resources involving people with knowledge, skill and attitude for different socio-economic activities. The forms and contents of all the articles of this volume provide a theoretical over view and empirical summary of different aspects of the dynamics of socio-political development. All the authors have succeeded in analysing the working of different institutions and aptly documented their transformative effects; compare changes or linkage across institutional domains and how the institutions are shaped by different sets of socio-political compromises.

It, indeed, gives me immense pleasure to go through the issues focusses in this edited volume. I hope that it would have tremendous relevance for contemporary socio-political ethos. I sanguine that apart from revisiting and refreshing the issues therein, it would contribute significantly to the socio-political tradition of Odisha. I congratulate both the authors and the editors for their sincere and laudable efforts to bring out this volume. It is commended to general readers, scholars and advanced students who are interested in socio-political development in Odisha.