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Highlighting liberalisation issues

Staff Reporter

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Rabi Ray inaugurates ALA

Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

SHOWING CONCERN: `Alternative legislative assembly' being organised by anti-POSCO group in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

BHUBANESWAR: A group of activists evolved a novel idea to highlight critical issues centering to liberalisation policy by organising an Alternative Legislative Assembly (ALA) here on Thursday. Several activists, who have been opposing various industrial projects in the state, came together under one roof to draft policies, which, they think, would help poorer segment of the population.

Time for introspection

Inaugurating the ALA that would continue till March 7 here, former Lok Sabha Speaker and veteran socialist leader Rabi Ray, said time had come to introspect what the country had lost and gained by adopting liberalisation policies in nineties.

"Though it is an ambitious thought to convene an assembly to put across one's views to ruling class, it has a long way to go for fruition. But I am sure the forum will surely help bring critical issues concerning to liberalisation to the fore," Mr. Ray said.

The ALA being coordinated by a voluntary organisation, Yuva Bharat, which was active in opposing South Korean Steel major POSCO's proposed mega steel plant in Jagatsinghpur district, will discuss various issues such as education, health, cultural and ethical development, forest and environment and science and technology.

Most of the activists have been drawn from groups opposing projects such Vedanta Alumina Refinery project in Kalahandi district, Vedanta University in Puri district and other industrial projects.

The organisers claimed more than 200 social thinkers, intellectuals and social activists from all over the country would contribute towards evolving the alternative policy to development being followed at present.

Akshya Kumar of Yuva Bharat said a complete draft policy would be submitted to the State Government for its implementation. "If they fail to follow the alternative policies, we will go to every villager to expose the government and its approach to development of masses," the Yuva Bharat activist said.

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