Life could be strange and difficult for any other Zilha Parishad School student from rural Maharashtra who would end-up being a school teacher. At the farthest, an aspiration to pass out the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) exams would place one in the category of brides who would churn over 10-lakh rupee in dowry; but for this Marathi manus from Osmanabad district in Maharashtra achievement in life seemed endless. Born on May 25 in Osmanabad, Anil Diggikar joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and since then had geared his progress and kept contributing to the society. Be it the infamous earthquake in and around Latur or assisting in bridging the gaps between two places in Mumbai city during the regime of Nitin Gadkari (then Public Works Department minister of Maharashtra).
Once again this officer has gone high to double-up the government’s daily transaction at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) where he is currently posted and successfully placed the JNPT in the elite 15-ports in the World. In a candid interview with India Unbound’s editor-in-chief Nityanand Pandey, Diggikar unveiled his past and present achievement and perception for a ‘Make-in-India,’ excerpts:
You are from a Zilha Parishad School and achieved the highest peak in life; can you reconstruct your school days?
I was born in Osmanabad, a small town in Maharashtra. I completed my level X (SSC) from the Zilla Parishad School there. I further completed level XII from the same place and later studied engineering from the Government college of Engineering in Aurangabad; I passed engineering in the year 1987. I later took lectureship in the engineering college where I had studied. Since from my early days in formal education, I intended to take up government job, and had decided to appear in the MPSC exams and so I marched towards Mumbai to appear for the exams and ended up achieving not what I desired but achieved what I deserved, the IAS.
You said you wanted to pass the MPSC so when and how did you enrol in the IAS?
As I said, I am from a small town in Maharashtra, people there are unaware of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams and the highest thing that they desire is to pass the MPSC. However, destiny had already written my fate and when I reached the city of dreams, I learnt that there were no MPSC exams due to any recruitment vacancy; it was during 1987-88. As I walked through the Capitol cinema near CST I read of the state government institute for UPSC exams and I entered the clan and studied extremely hard and finally appeared and passed the UPSC exam in the year 1990.
How do you evaluate your contribution, in service, so far?
I was a probationer and was posted in Ratnagiri, there I got the opportunity to serve the distressed people during the 1993- Latur and Osmanabad earthquakes. I was then Assistant Collector of the area. The challenge before me was to look after the rehabilitation work, draw schemes for housing, eliminate poverty and introduce employment opportunities and I am happy to say that together, we achieved it all and I served the society in my very first challenge. Soon after that, I was posted as the CEO of Zilha Parishads in Nanded and Solapur. In my four years tenure at the two places as CEO, I faced the challenge of my organization skills and sharpened it too. As the Zilha Parishad is like a state within the state (mini government) its CEO is responsible for organizing, perceiving and implementation of various plans and schemes to keep it smooth and going. I loved the experiences that were full of challenges.
You also dealt with 30-thousand project affected people?
Ya, during my stint as Collector of Satara district the Krishna valley project was implemented. I had to deal with 30-thousand Project Affected People in terms of their rehabilitation. During the year 2006 and 2008, I was Commissioner, Co-operative. I was also posted as additional Municipal commissioner in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and looked after the water supply project under me. Later, I was appointed as Secretary, Animal Husbandry department in the State Government and worked hard to achieve my goals and educate people the science of animal husbandry. It was like a dream come true when I was posted to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) for tenure of 2-years; many projects like Mumbai-Nagpur Highway, Pune Ring Road, various fly-over were taking shape under then PWD minister Nitin Gadkari and I was assigned the key responsibility in the projects. I am now posted as Chairman of JNPT from the past 45-days and this is my first post under Central deputation. It’s going to be a big challenge for me, I feel.
What happened to the extension of Worli Sea-Link?
There was the idea to extend the sea-link, there were tenders from Worli to Haji Ali and from Bandra to Versova but the government thought that MSRDC should give priority to costal roads instead.
What was the most challenging assignment for you, so far?
It was when I was Commissioner, Co-operative. In rural Maharashtra the accessibility to credit for the rural person is from co-operative structures only. Given the scenario, it was very difficult for any common man to approach a nationalized bank and get a loan sanction without hassle. Whereas for co-operative bank all the directors, basically the community people are more over community conscious than being liberal and rational. This could be the reason why economy of rural Maharashtra is so vibrant. Employment generation was the biggest challenge. As the commissioner co-operative, I tried to strengthen the credit in co-operative societies in rural Maharashtra, agriculture financing as well as entrepreneurship was my priority.
What are the challenges before you being the chairman of JNPT?
My present assignment seems like an ocean for me. JNPT is the busiest port in the country; it handles around 46 percent of the entire shipment sent through and to Indian ports. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the fourth terminal at JNPT, however it is yet to be functional. Adding the new terminal will double the handling capacity of JNPT port that will result in listing JNPT one amongst top 15 ports in the world.
There are many things we need to achieve in near future, double the capacity, to enhance the efficiency, to bring more productivity, and to increase the GDP, create employment; as the area is to be covered under Special Economic Zone (SEZ) there are chances that such zones will churn more employment opportunity.
What benefits do you perceive out of the fourth terminus as soon as it becomes functional?
Presently JNPT is having 2-kilometers of operational area; with the incorporation of the new terminal it will add another operational area of 2-kilometers. As the area multiplies, so will be its operations in terms of our handling capacity. At present, we are handling 70-lakh billion metric tons cargo that will touch around 130-lakh billion metric tons soon after the fourth terminal becomes functional. Added to the advantage and the demand – supply equation as we grow we will fall short of man-power and as we fall short of man-power we shall require man-power that will generate new employment opportunity; we are coming up with SEZ that will be spread over 270-hectares of land. The project will also attract foreign direct investment and generate further employment opportunities. SEZ being closer to port, many industries that are related to port business will be attracted and I am getting the opportunity to fulfill the ‘Make in India’ dream of our Prime Minister.
What is the current status of Project Affected People (PAPs) at JNPT?
It is a sensitive subject and shall be dealt with carefully. Unfortunately from the last 25-years JNPT could not solve the problems faced by PAP of this region. Their right of 12.5 percent land, which they have lost in JNPT remains unsolved to some extent. Later, we learnt that the rehabilitation area is covered under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), now we are doing our best to get CRZ released and have also requested the state and the central government to alternately allow housing in SEZ.
It is heard, that CIDCO is acquiring land to construct JNPT influence area, what is it all about?
There are 12-villages we have identified so far under the project. CIDCO is our lead partner in the project. We will ensure that CIDCO provides people in the Jawaharalal Nehru Port Trust Influence area (JNPTIA – a cluster of villages forming an area that is influenced by the functioning of the port) with good infrastructure, basic facilities like health, education, water supply, good roads and so on.
JNPT being a public sector body, do you ever feel being influenced by private sectors sometime in future?
It is generally said that Private sectors are more competitive than government sectors, here at JNPT we have to keep our efficiency and productivity level higher than private sectors so that there is no such fear as you said.
Is there any influence of Transport minister NItin Gadkari on you?
Yes, and I take pride in it. MSRDC was his creation. During his tenure as PWD minister of Maharashtra state, it was he, who conceptualized and built the Mumbai-Pune Express highway that was never thought of till then. To add to his vision were over 55-flyovers in Mumbai city that were planned and executed in his tenure. Had he not perceived those flyovers then, one can imagine the traffic chaos that would have been on city roads by now. He is a person with great decision making, full of enthusiasm and dedication towards his portfolio. It makes me proud that I am assigned under such a minister once again in my career.
Is our young and dynamic, as the BJP calls him, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis of any help to JNPT?
Yes of course. Any co-ordination or co-operation that JNPT requests from the state government is taken in to consideration immediately. I, myself feel too happy to bother our CM and he too is kind and supportive.
Do you think JNPT will prove to our PM’s dreams of make-in-India?
Our PM Narendra Modi is a great man with an outstanding vision. He is a man of enthusiasm, great concepts and innovative skills. We are in, for whatever his dream for our country is, like MAKE IN INDIA, CLEAN AND GREEN CITY concept, more efficiency, more productivity and more employment.
Who is your role model?
Swami Vivekanand.
What are your future aspirations?
To do justice with my post, and I’ll see that the port will develop in all aspects, I shall be dedicated towards the employees working for the port and their social welfare, financial growth, peace of mind and enthusiasm and continue their progress and wish to always act like a throttle in their progress.
How do you spend your leisure time?
I play squash in my free time.
What are your suggestions to those who aspire to take up UPSC?
The kind of exposure you get in IAS is unparallel. Like for me I was in rural development, agriculture, animal husbandry, co-operative, MSRDC, now at ports. After every 3-4 years your canvas changes, you became student again, you have to pick up things and learn and whatever you paint on the canvas is your inner expression that shows your aesthetics. One has to be good at heart so that whatever he paints has some aesthetic value and sound good to others too.
What message would you like to give to your department and to our readers?
Be fit and be fine. To achieve you target you have to survive, for surviving you must be fit, so to do anything in life that you desire one should be fit and fine.