Bhubaneswar: Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports Anurag Thakur, who is on a day visit to Odisha, on Tuesday recalled his trip to Cuttack as the captain of Punjab’s under-16 cricket team in 1990.
“It was for the first time that Punjab emerged as champion in the Vijay Merchant Trophy. Therefore, I share a emotion connect with Odisha. I had then visited the Sun Temple in Konark, which went on to host one of the G2 meetings,” he told a press briefing at BJP headquarters here.
Thakur also spoke about Narendra Modi-led government’s contribution to the state.”The PM chose a wall depicting the historic Konark Wheel of Sun Temple as the backdrop for his welcome handshake with world leaders at the G20 Summit venue, creating a buzz for Odisha. It shows his love for India’s culture and tradition, especially for Odisha and Lord Jagannath, and how these can contribute to the development of the nation,” he said.
The Union Minister further said that investigation agencies are independent and initiate probe wherever required as has been the case in West Bengal, where action has been taken against irregularities in Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and MNREGA. “The mantra of the Modi government is ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikash’. Odisha has received 11 times more funds during the NDA regime as compared to the tenure of UPA. However, these funds under different schemes need to be used properly,” he said, adding how the state benefited substantially after the auction regime and GST were introduced under the leadership of PM Modi.
He also spoke about “unparalleled achievement” of providing 12 crore toilets, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), which ensured women’s empowerment in India by promoting their fitness, and the recent passing of Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam ( Women’s Reservation Bill ).
Responding to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s ‘anti-people’ jibe, he said: “We are pro-people and pro-poor government. And one person saying it does not mean anything to us… it is the people of the country who believe in PM Modi and his policies… If we are anti-people then how could we form government in 2014 and 2019 with full majority.”
Thakur also urged the Odisha government to ensure speedy implementation of ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’, which envisages the provision of drinking water through tap connections to all households in rural areas, to bring a change in the lives of women in the state.
He added that PM Modi has been pegged as the world’s most popular leader with an approval rating of 78 per cent and the BJP will fight the election on its own strength.
