By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: BJD Rajya Sabha MP and National Spokesperson, Dr Sasmit Patra on Saturday asked the BJP National general secretary in charge of Odisha affairs, D Purandareswari to first look into her Party’s state of affairs and then raised questions about the State Government.
In a statement , MP Dr Patra, said basically she has come to motivate their BJP cadre and leaders after theirdefeats in both by-election seats of Balasore and Tritol. “Especially Balasore loss has demoralized the party completely so she had a tough job on her hands. It would have been better if she had spoken more on the farmer related issues, particularly hiking the MSP as per the all-party unanimous resolution of 25th March, 2017 in Odisha Assembly, seeking revision of the MSP of paddy from Rs.1470 to Rs. 2930 per quintal,” Dr Patra said.
“ It seems she is unaware that her own Party’s Dhamnagar MLA Shri. Bishnu Sethi misbehaved yesterday with a social activist in a public programme for which she has filed a Police complaint. BJP in the past had undertaken a series of agitations demanding CBI probe into politician Jayaram Pangi’s role in the murder of Itishree Pradhan. But once he joined BJP, the party welcomed him and also gave him an election ticket. It seems the Odisha BJP has not apprised her adequately on these shortcomings. It also seems that she is unaware that Odisha was awarded by her Party’s Government in Centre with 5 awards for constructing largest number of houses. She has tried her level best to boost the party’s confidence by hoodwinking people and talking lies which won’t cut ice with people of Odisha,” Dr Patra added.
Earlier, addressing press, Purandareswari said the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has failed to deliver good governance in Odisha.“In 2014 elections, the BJD had promised to provide pucca houses to all. The party also won next elections in 2019 by promising same to people of the State. However, the ruling party is yet to convert the kutcha houses into pucca houses in rural areas under housing schemes,” Purandareswari told reporters.She criticised the BJD government for not implementing Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Yojana in Odisha.
“Before launch of Ayushman Yojana at Centre, the CM Naveen Patnaik had announced State’s own healthcare scheme Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana covering the poor beneficiaries under the programme. Whether the scheme is really benefiting the poor? Not a single person is willing to get registered under the programme,” she said.
“While the Centre is providing Rs 6,000 per year as minimum support to farmers under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sammann Nidhi scheme, the State Government has stopped to disburse an amount of Rs 4,000 to the beneficiaries under KALIA programme. We were told that there are 35 lakh farmers in the State. Now, the State Government is providing us a data of 21 lakh farmers. This suggests that the enumeration by the State Government has not been made accurately,”
“The party is indulged into corruptions during its regime in the State. Expelled BJD MLA Pradeep Panigrahi has been arrested in a forgery case. Even the party’s former Mayurbhanj MP Ramchandra Hansda and two MLAs were arrested in chitfund cases. Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain’s brother is also involved in farm loan scam in Athagarh. The person, who has allegedly killed the minor girl in Nayagarh district, is considered to be a close aide to Minister Arun Sahoo,” she said asking, “Where is good governance?”
