The year 2020 will remain seared in the collective memory of the people of Odisha because of the unprecedented health crisis triggered by the corona pandemic and the havoc wreaked by cyclone Amphan. But the challenge of tackling them put Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on his mettle. His deft handling of the situations arising out of these crises earned him international accolades as he set benchmarks for others to follow.
While past experience helped him ensure zero casualty and least possible damage due to cyclone Amphan, which impacted both Odisha and neighbouring West Bengal, his handling of the Covid-19 situation was an object lesson in how quick response can help mitigate a crisis. Switching to combat mode much faster than his counterparts in other parts of the country, Patnaik declared corona pandemic a ‘disaster’ on March 13 and ordered immediate closure of educational institutions, cinema halls, public swimming pools and gyms even though the state had not reported a single case of Covid-19 infection till then.
Government officials were sufficiently empowered to enforce necessary restrictions to prevent the spread of the disease and the Chief Minister set aside a sum of Rs. 200 crores to augment the Public Health Response Fund for tackling the threat of the virus. Soon memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed with two private hospitals to set up the country’s first dedicated Covid-19 hospitals. Incentives were announced for doctors, paramedics and other frontline corona warriors.
Along with health, the livelihood of the people, especially the poor, was also taken care of. Special packages were announced for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers rendered jobless by the pandemic. In short, the government led by Patnaik did everything that it could to keep the disease in check and people economically active. Steps were also taken to ensure the supply of essential commodities to people by making arrangements for smooth movement of vehicles ferrying these commodities.
As a result, people of Odisha suffered the least due to the pandemic which played havoc with human lives in other parts of the country, draining the resources of many state governments. Even the impact of cyclone Amphan was much less in Odisha, thanks to the precautionary steps taken by the government. The relief and restoration work in the wake of the gale was superb with power and water supply restored in most of the affected areas within hours of the cyclone’s landfall.
The Chief Minister reaped the reward for the hard work done by his government when people voted overwhelmingly in support of ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in the bye-elections to Balasore Sadar and Tirtol assembly constituencies in November. While the party wrested the Balasore Sadar seat from the BJP, it retained the Tirtol seat by winning it with a huge margin. The results came as yet another proof of Patnaik’s political invincibility and his ever-growing popularity. There is nothing to indicate that this trend is not going to continue in 2021.
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