->Venkat TL at 09:21, 5 October 2021

2021-10-05T09:21:29Z

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{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Amar Patnaik
| birth_date = 1967
| death_date =
| office = [[Member of Parliament|MP]] of [[Rajya Sabha]] for [[Odisha]]
| nationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| spouse =
| party = [[Biju Janata Dal]]
| residence =
| alma_mater = [[Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy]], [[St. Stephen's College, Delhi]], [[XIM University Bhubaneswar]]
| profession = Politician
| website = {{URL|https://www.amarpatnaik.in/}}
| footnotes =
| term_start = 28 June 2019
| native_name = ଅମର ପଟ୍ଟନାୟକ
| native_name_lang = [[Odiya]]
| image =
| state = Odisha
}}
'''Amar Patnaik''' is an [[Indian politician]]. He was an Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS) officer and former principal accountant general (PAG) of Sikkim, Odisha, West Bengal, and Kerala.

He opted for voluntary retirement, nine years before completion of his service and joined [[Biju Janata Dal]] in the presence of party president and CM [[Naveen Patnaik]] on 29 August 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://m.timesofindia.com/city/bhubaneswar/former-top-govt-official-joins-bjd/articleshow/65594506.cms|title=Former top govt official joins BJD|date=2018-08-29|work=The Times of India}}</ref> Since 28 June 2019, he is the member of the [[Parliament of India]] representing [[Odisha]] in the [[Rajya Sabha]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://164.100.47.5/NewMembers/RetLMemState.aspx|title=Statewise Retirement|website=164.100.47.5|access-date=2019-06-28}}</ref> and general secretary of the BJD Parliamentary Party office, the upper house.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bjdodisha.org.in/news-details/974/2103|title=Naveen Patnaik appointed him as general secretary of the BJD Parliamentary Party office in the Upper House.}}</ref> He heads the IT-Wing and is also a spokesperson of [[Biju Janata Dal]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theweekendleader.com/Headlines/30234/2-from-bjd-1-from-bjp-elected-unopposed-to-rajya-sabha.html|title=2 from BJD, 1 from BJP elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha|website=www.theweekendleader.com|language=en|access-date=2019-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/two-bjd-one-bjp-candidate-elected-to-rajya-sabha-from-odisha/1622383/|title=Two BJD, one BJP candidate elected to Rajya Sabha from Odisha|date=2019-06-28|website=The Financial Express|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-28}}</ref>

== Education ==
He graduated from [[St. Stephen's College, Delhi]] at the [[University of Delhi|Delhi University]] in 1987 after initial schooling in the [[Demonstration Multipurpose School, Bhubaneswar]] and the [[Buxi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar College]], Bhubaneswar. He completed a master's degree in finance and systems from the Xavier's Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar and a bachelor's degree in law from [[Utkal University]], Bhubaneswar. He further pursued a master's degree in Public Management from the [[Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy]],
Singapore and the [[John F. Kennedy School of Government]] at [[Harvard University]].

He was offered the British [[Chevening Scholarship|Chevening]] Gurukul Scholarship for Excellence at the [[London School of Economics]] by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the British Government in 2013. In 2015, he completed an advanced management development programme from the [[Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania]] in 2015.

He also completed an
inter-disciplinary doctorate from the [[Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar|Xavier Institute of Management (XIM) university in Bhubaneshwar.]]

His thesis was published as a book by [[Palgrave Macmillan]] titled “Institutional Change and Power Asymmetries in the context of Rural
India” in 2016.<ref>{{Cite book|id={{ASIN|9811313008|country=ca}}}}</ref> His book explains how to bring about institutional change and foster new institutional structures (institution building) by resolving power inequities in a rural ecosystem in India, and advocates the identification of an appropriate institutional champion to make this happen.

His current research interests include institutional perspectives in developmental interventions
and public policy, transparency and accountability, public finance reforms, urban sector
governance, energy security, environment and sustainability issues.

== Career in the Civil Services ==
Amar Patnaik joined the Indian Civil Services in 1990 under its [[Indian Audit and Accounts Service]]s.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Patnaik Gets Principal AG Rank|url=http://tathya.in/2016/story.aspx?args=2A927ECAD131151AE9B5560DFC12165242CBB4DDBFC6B41B0E81FD626EA05F5E79CE1241621013BA|access-date=2020-07-24|website=tathya.in}}</ref> He served as the Principal Accountant General (PAG) in Odisha, Kerala and West Bengal under the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

In his early career he was part of audit teams that led investigations into the [[Fodder Scam]] in Bihar and the Letter of Credit Scam in Assam.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dr. Amar Patnaik – Bande Utkala Janani|url=https://amarpatnaik.in/|access-date=2020-07-24|language=en-US}}</ref> Under his leadership, many irregularities in Odisha including government land allotment were highlighted. He had also conducted audits of electricity distribution companies and brought to notice issues in revenue collection during the Odisha Olympic Association.<ref name=":0" /> He was also the Director of the Agricultural Marketing and Co-operatives Department of Odisha, India, where he designed sustainable livelihood models for farmers through efficient and effective marketing of their produce.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Patnaik|first=Amar|url=https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9789811313004|title=Institutional Change and Power Asymmetry in the Context of Rural India|date=2019|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=978-981-13-1300-4|language=en}}</ref>

As [[Kerala]]'s PAG, he oversaw several audits in state's taxation and licensing processes. He highlighted several malpractices that enabled the highest ever tax evasion in the state.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=2016-02-25|title=INDIA: tax evasion and tax avoidance in Kerala|url=http://www.salesdatacontroller.com/5118-2/|access-date=2020-07-24|website=SDC|language=en-US}}</ref> His report brought to notice several shortcomings of the state government such as laxity in pulling in more traders within the tax net, wrong self-assessment by businesses, purchase suppression, sales suppression, and misclassification of commodities, application of incorrect rate of tax, part of turnover escaping assessment, and incorrect exemption.<ref name=":2" /> His other reports in the state highlighted irregularities in bar licensing, non compliance with the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008, and deficiencies in management of finance and inadmissible expenditure from the State Disaster Response Fund.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Feeds|first=P. T. I.|date=2017-03-06|title=CAG report finds irregularities in bar licenses|url=https://www.india.com/news/agencies/cag-report-finds-irregularities-in-bar-licenses-1898823/|access-date=2020-07-24|website=India News, Breaking News, Entertainment News {{!}} India.com|language=en}}</ref>

Patnaik was noted for his work ethic and his diligence was often praised in the media even by political personalities.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-06-26|title=Odisha AG's transfer spawns talk of Naveen-Centre deal {{!}} Sambad English|url=https://sambadenglish.com/odisha-ags-transfer-spawns-talk-of-naveen-centre-deal/|access-date=2020-07-24|language=en-US}}</ref>

== International career ==
In addition to detailed financial audits and value-for-money evaluations of government programmes in sectors like health service delivery, water supply, consumer protection, poverty reduction and more recently on public-private partnership models for development of hydropower and minor ports and environmental protection, he has also conducted international audits of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome and in Kabul, Afghanistan and of the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations in Darfur, Sudan. He also completed a performance audit of the UN's spending on information and communication technology services across peacekeeping operations around the globe in October – November 2014.<ref name=":1" />

== Political career ==
[[File:Amar Patnaik in India's Parliament premises.jpg|thumb|Amar Patnaik in India's Parliament premises]]
Amar Patnaik joined the [[Biju Janata Dal|Biju Janta Dal]], a regional party in the state of [[Odisha]] in August 2018 and was inducted by the [[Chief minister (India)|Chief Minister]] and Party president [[Naveen Patnaik]]. He was also made Head of the Party's IT cell upon joining the party.<ref>{{Cite news|last=IANS|date=2018-08-29|title=Former AG Amar Patnaik joins BJD|work=Business Standard India|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/former-ag-amar-patnaik-joins-bjd-118082900511_1.html|access-date=2020-07-24}}</ref>

In the April and May [[2019 elections in India|2019 general]] and the [[2019 Odisha Legislative Assembly election|Odisha state elections]], as Head of the IT cell, his work was noted for using improved data driven election strategy, evidence based review of party's [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] candidates, and the use of augmented reality and hologram projections.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=This Ex-babu Played a Crucial Role in Planning & Perfecting Naveen Patnaik's Impressive Win in Odisha|url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/this-ex-babu-played-a-crucial-role-in-planning-perfecting-naveen-patnaiks-impressive-win-in-odisha-2159717.html|access-date=2020-07-24|website=News18|date=25 May 2019}}</ref> He also drove party's social media strategy and strategized on coining political slogans such as “Naveen mo’ paribara, shankha mo’ chinha” (Naveen is my family member, the conch shell is my symbol) that were effective in the election.<ref name=":3" />

In June 2019, Patnaik was nominated by the party as the state representative and [[Member of parliament, Rajya Sabha|Member of Parliament]] in the [[Rajya Sabha]], the upper house of [[Parliament of India|Indian parliament]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Amar Patnaik, Sasmit Patra from BJD, Ashwini Vaishnav from BJP elected to Rajya Sabha from Odisha|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2019/jun/29/amar-patnaik-sasmit-patra-from-bjd-ashwini-vaishnav-from-bjp-elected-to-rajya-sabha-from-odisha-1996923.html|access-date=2020-07-24|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> In his first year in the Parliament, he was appointed member to parliamentary committees on,
* Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance
* Joint Parliamentary Committee on Personal Data Protection Bill
* Committee on Sub-ordinate Legislation, Rajya Sabha
* and an Ad hoc member of the Committee of the Rajya Sabha to study the alarming issue of pornography on social media and its effect on children and society as a whole

In the Parliament, he has raised several key issues including budget allocation to health, right to information, infrastructure, railways, law and order, finance, transgenders and women safety.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dr.+amar+patnaik+rajya+sabha|access-date=2020-07-24|website=www.youtube.com}}</ref> Patnaik was also an early voice in the parliament on the threat of covid before the imposition of the national lockdown in India.

== Personal views and opinion ==
Patnaik views his role in politics as extension of his policy career in bureaucracy and has been known for a systems reform approach even in political systems as head of the IT cell.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/news-events/news/details/the-politics-of-policy-making|access-date=2020-07-24|website=lkyspp.nus.edu.sg}}</ref> He has frequently written on data protection and views personal data privacy as a fundamental right<ref>{{Cite web|title=India Needs a Surveillance Law That Goes Beyond Personal Data Protection|url=https://thewire.in/tech/india-surveillance-law-personal-data-protection|access-date=2020-07-24|website=The Wire}}</ref> and has opined for an independent data protection body in India especially with regard to the imminent onset of artificial intelligence.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-24|title=Who controls citizens' data? Personal Data Protection Bill must empower an independent and robust Data Protection Authority|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-edit-page/who-controls-citizens-data-personal-data-protection-bill-must-empower-an-independent-and-robust-data-protection-authority/|access-date=2020-07-24|website=Times of India Blog|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=www.ETTelecom.com|title=Consumers trust is the key to adoption of artificial intelligence - Tele-Talk by Amar Patnaik {{!}} ET Telecom|url=https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tele-talk/consumers-trust-is-the-key-to-adoption-of-artificial-intelligence/4306|access-date=2020-07-24|website=ETTelecom.com|language=en}}</ref>

He has written about mistrust in Indian communities arising due to asymmetries in economic and social power.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Why do we need to make way for a new social order after the lockdown|url=https://www.dailyo.in/variety/covid-19-coronavirus-in-india-lockdown-social-order-digital-world/story/1/32797.html|access-date=2020-07-24|website=www.dailyo.in}}</ref> He developed a power-asymmetry-based framework in which he argued that a champion with the right attributes and the 'ability’ to 'convene' people over a social issue can only succeed if he/she can resolve or reduce the deep-rooted societal power asymmetries within that community.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Patnaik|first=Amar|date=2019|title=Institutional Change and Power Asymmetry in the Context of Rural India|url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-13-1301-1|language=en-gb|doi=10.1007/978-981-13-1301-1|isbn=978-981-13-1300-4}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patnaik, Amar}}
[[Category:Odisha politicians]]
[[Category:Biju Janata Dal politicians]]
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Odisha]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1967 births]]

Amar Patnaik - Revision history

->Venkat TL at 09:21, 5 October 2021