Let us remember that Bhubaneswar does not have any centrally funded institute of higher education, apart from one NIT. It has no IIT, no IIM, no IISc. With Bihar and Rajasthan, this state figures at the bottom of the list with respect to higher education funding. Yet, ironically Orissa has been found to be among the two states that send the most number of students to institutes of scientific research. But this does not matter, it seems. What matters is the fact that Orissa does not happen to be a UPA state. It therefore deserves to be punished by this government.

This has led many of us in Orissa to wonder about its fate. God save it from exploiters who don a mask of simplicity to get a good press but are intentionally rude on occasions. As the PM is understood to have said to Orissa’s MPs: “Money does not grow on trees.” But, Dr Singh, it seems to grow on trees when it involves Punjab or West Bengal! Dr Singh talks about equality, equity and service to all people, but when the time comes it is the UPA states and those of its allies that walked away with the bulk of the funding.

And please don’t mention the proposal to set up AIIMS in backward states: the expenditure budget of 2006-2007 (item 26 of sbe 46) shows that the original budget for this initiative in 2005-06 was Rs 250 crore. This was revised downwards to Rs 6 crore and the budget for 2006-07 is Rs 75 crore.

... contd.